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Mitre Extends Role as Queensland Football’s Official Ball
Football Queensland has extended its partnership with Mitre as the official ball partner and main ball supplier to the Queensland football community until 2028.
Mitre footballs will continue to supply the official competition ball for the NPL Queensland, FQPL leagues and FQ Academy leagues and events.
Football Queensland CEO, Robert Cavallucci, expressed his enthusiasm for the renewal between FQ and Mitre and their continued support of the Queensland football community.
“Since first announcing our partnership three years ago, football in Queensland has experienced tremendous growth, and Mitre has stood alongside us and our clubs every step of the way,” he said in a press release.
“This renewed partnership ensures that our community will continue to have access to high-quality equipment so that all our players and clubs across Queensland can enjoy the beautiful game at its best, no matter where they are.”
Since 2017, Mitre has expanded its partnerships to state member federations in Australia by being the official match ball of NPL NSW, NPL Victoria, Football West and NPL NNSW.
The Ultimax Pro is one of the most popular football’s for Mitre. It features hyperflow debossed grooves across the ball and utilises thermally bonded construction technology for enhanced shape retention and durability.
Mitre Australia’s Director of Sportsmart Group, Gerrard Woods, was also excited about the partnership renewal with Football Queensland.
“Mitre has a long history in the game, and we’re committed to ensuring that all players and clubs can enjoy the great game with the very best equipment,” Woods said in a press release.
“Together with Football Queensland, we look forward to building on the growth of recent years as we work together to help the game reach even greater heights across the state.”
Mitre has become a vital part of the Australian football ecosystem with their quality match balls and unwavering loyalty to multiple different state federations. This ends up being an obvious decision for Football Queensland who maintain the strong connection with Mitre for another three seasons at least.
In an era where mass production often comes at the cost of tradition, the Hikari ball represents a quiet defiance. Engineered with a clear mission: to restore the softness, responsiveness, and premium quality that defined a first-class match ball, before mainstream brands drifted away from conventional Japanese materials.
The Hikari ball brings back a silicon base – a feature rarely seen since the early 2000s, when most brands moved away from it due to cost. TX Football has revived this technology, using a silicon gel layer within the TPU foam between the outer cover. The result is a ball that feels more cushioned, softer to the touch, and easier to control. Japan is known worldwide for its unmatched attention to detail and consistency, and the ball mirrors exactly that.
Players immediately notice the difference: the ball feels softer on impact, offers greater responsiveness underfoot, and allows for more precise control. By reviving this material, TX Football has managed to strike a balance between modern durability and the kind of comfort and playability that older match balls were celebrated for. It’s a small change with a big impact, restoring the natural connection between player and ball.
When it comes to performing across different weather conditions and playing surfaces, the Hikari ball lives up to the same high standards as TX Football’s other premium balls. Even in wet conditions, its top layer ensures the ball remains grippy and controllable, minimising any slipperiness.
While some other balls on the market feature a smooth TPU layer that can feel slippery in wet conditions, the Hikari ball stands out with its textured surface and silicon base, making it noticeably easier to control even when the pitch is wet.
Designed to excel in both training environments and competitive matches, the Hikari ball reflects TX Football’s dedication to precision, durability, and high performance. Through the integration of innovative materials and careful craftsmanship, it provides a consistently reliable, premium playing experience, enabling athletes to perform at their highest level with confidence, every time they step onto the field.
Since the company manages every step of production in-house, rather than outsourcing to a factory, it has complete control over quality and costs. This hands-on approach allows the team to oversee every detail, from the materials used to the finishing touches, ensuring that each product meets their high standards.
Without the overhead of a large external manufacturing process, the company can avoid unnecessary expenses, which in turn keeps the price of their products more accessible.
Image credit: One Nil Media
Unlike major market brands, which often rely heavily on name recognition to justify higher price tags, this company focuses on value and fairness. By keeping the mark-up low, they make their products affordable for both parents and players, allowing young athletes to access high-quality equipment without placing a financial burden on families. This approach reflects the company’s belief that great performance shouldn’t come at an unreasonable cost.
Additionally, handling everything internally fosters a sense of pride and accountability. Each ball isn’t just a product; it’s a reflection of the team’s dedication, craftsmanship, and passion for the game. Customers can feel confident that the product they’re purchasing is the result of meticulous care and genuine expertise, rather than mass production driven solely by profit. This philosophy has allowed the TX Football to build a reputation for quality, consistency, and trustworthiness in a competitive market.
By combining affordability, attention to detail, and hands-on production, the company continues to provide equipment that supports players at every level, staying true to its mission of making top-quality sports gear accessible to all.
The Hikari ball is engineered to provide reliable performance over an extended period, with an expected lifespan of around two years under regular weekend play, much like a standard premium football. TX Football recognises that consistent use can naturally wear on even the highest-quality equipment, which is why the company provides a 12-month warranty for constant play.
This warranty offers players and parents reassurance that the ball is built to last and that any issues during regular use are covered. By combining durability, thoughtful design, and reliable performance, the Hikari ball ensures players can enjoy every match with confidence.
TX Football’s in-house designer led the creation of the Hikari ball, developing both its overall structure and the distinctive surface pattern. Drawing inspiration from Japanese aesthetics, the team chose a subtle cherry blossom motif to reflect elegance, precision, and cultural heritage.
This designer plays a key role across the company, contributing not only to ball designs but also to the development of other kit and equipment, ensuring a consistent level of creativity, functionality, and quality throughout TX Football’s product range. Their work combines technical expertise with artistic vision, bringing a thoughtful and distinctive identity to every piece of equipment.
Football Queensland has secured internationally renowned keynote speaker and Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Joe Schmit as the headline act for the 2025 Queensland Football Convention.
The acclaimed presenter, widely regarded as a “must-watch” on the speaking circuit, will deliver The Impact Playbook – a high-energy session aimed at helping attendees become more intentional and aware of their influence as leaders, colleagues and community members.
Football Queensland CEO Robert Cavallucci said the organisation was thrilled to welcome Schmit to the annual event.
“Joe has enjoyed an illustrious career and brings a wealth of experience in inspiring audiences around the world,” he said via press release.
“His ability to speak on leadership, growth and building positive culture within high-performance teams aligns strongly with football in Queensland and with our community’s aspirations.
“I’m confident Joe’s message will provide immense value to all attendees, reinforcing our 2025 Convention theme of Elevate the Debate and supporting our core pillars of growth, sustainability and technology.”
Schmit brings 25 years of experience as a keynote speaker and recently retired from an award-winning 40-year career in sports broadcasting with Minnesota’s KSTP-TV.
He has authored two nationally recognised leadership books – Silent Impact, now in its second edition, and The Impact Blueprint – and remains deeply involved in philanthropic and charitable work in his local community.
The Queensland Football Convention will once again bring together clubs, coaches, players and industry leaders from across the state, providing a unique platform to share ideas, explore new opportunities and strengthen the game’s future in Queensland.
As the official media partner of this convention, Soccerscene believes in the strong positive impact this convention will have on attendees from all levels of the sport.
Gaining access to the wealth of knowledge and experience at this convention will be critical to developing the future of Queensland football.
Soccerscene has also been given access to give anyone purchasing a ticket a special 20% partners discount through the link below.
The Queensland Football Convention will be held from the 25-26th of October 2025 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
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