National Futsal Championships to return in 2022

Avatar

Football Australia has announced today the return of the National Futsal Championships (NFC) in 2022.

Football Queensland (FQ) will host the 2022 championship, followed by Football Victoria (FV) for the 2023 edition.

Football Australia CEO James Johnson looks forward to growing futsal’s footprint in Australia after outlining a vision for a national program.

“As part of our clear strategic agenda, we outlined a vision to create a national program for futsal and beach soccer by working closely with our Member Federations in a unified, inclusive and collaborative manner,” Johnson said.

“With the culmination of this process, we are delighted that Football Queensland and Football Victoria will be hosting the National Futsal Championships in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

“There is a clear appetite throughout Australia for football to increase its imprint through futsal and beach soccer. Queensland and Victoria now have the opportunity to showcase this and bring it to life over the next two years, in a way never seen before.”

By granting the hosting rights to different cities, Football Australia believes the NFC will be a national tournament.

The Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre will host the relaunched tournament on the 5th-9th of January 2022.

“The National Futsal Championships are a highlight of the Australian football calendar, and we are excited to stage next year’s event at the state-of-the-art Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre,” FQ CEO Robert Cavallucci said.

Anthony Grima, Football Victoria’s Head of Futsal, believes the announcement was a step towards achieving FV’s futsal strategy.

“This is a huge win for Futsal in Victoria and one for me that should be dedicated to the many amazing individuals who are at the heart of the Futsal community here in Victoria,” Grima said.

“Hosting the NFC will leave a lasting legacy for Futsal and football in Victoria and inspire and enable more people to take up this amazing sport.”

The recently announced Home of the Matildas features a international sized futsal pitch, and it could host the championship.

Kimon Taliadoros, CEO of FV, said this news ensures that Victoria remains the home of sport.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for the people of Victoria. By hosting the National Futsal Championships, we will further enhance the state’s ability to host events and tournaments and support the Victorian economy by bringing interstate visitors back to Melbourne to experience the wide range of products, services and experiences that this great state has to offer,” Taliadoros said.

“Futsal has been on the national agenda for some time now, with Football Australia recently having released the ‘XI Principles – for the future of Australian football.’”

The return of the NFC will allow a pathway for players to compete against the best talent Australia has to offer.

Previous ArticleNext Article

Mapping the Future: GIS Innovation Takes Off in Australia

Avatar
Image credit: Global Institute of Sport

Global Institute of Sport (GIS) is expanding its influence in the Asia-Pacific, in particular, Australia where they have already made significant progress and will be opening a brand new campus.

GIS is a leader in sports education, offering innovative online and in-person courses at campuses and iconic sports venues around the world, including the likes of Wembley Stadium in London, Chase Stadium in Miami, and Melbourne’s MCG.

But it’s Australia where GIS is now focusing its attention and they’ve already made some big strides.

In episode four of Soccerscene’s Off the Pitch podcast, Asia-Pacific Regional Director Ray Boggiano spoke about the progress GIS has made in Australia so far.

“We’ve had the MCG partnership since 2019, so we’ve been doing our first summit, so study tour was in January 2020, we had a couple of virtual ones in between and then we brought our students back for the last couple of years as well,” he said in the podcast.

“From last year we started doing these residentials, so we have various sites, the MCG, Darebin, our partner clubs like Preston, they’re signed off as sites that we can deliver for face-to-face teaching for our British programs.”

Additionally, Boggiano spoke about the new GIS campus opening in Australia next year.

“Our vision and something that’s very soon to be realised is to have a sports campus in Australia,” he said.

“We will be opening the doors to our Sydney campus next year so our first intake will be in January 2026.

“The partnership is with the University of Newcastle, but it’s with their Sydney CBD campus, and also in partnership with Venus NSW, so very pleased to be able to use the Allianz Stadium and the SCG as well, so we’ve got access to two incredible stadiums.”

Boggiano also added that the new campus will be taking applications as soon as this month and highlighted the importance of Australia to GIS.

“We will be starting to take applications likely from April this year and the first intake will be January 2026, so this is a major milestone for us,” he said.

“We have always had Australia central to our strategy, it is really a vibrate sports economy, sports market, and sports industry.

“Over the next ten years that’s only going in one direction with obviously the build-up Brisbane games in 2032.”

The new campus will offer a wide range of degrees and industry-focused programs designed to give students the skills they need to succeed in the global sports industry.

To hear and learn more about GIS, you can listen to the full interview with Ray Boggiano on episode four of Soccerscene’s Off the Pitch Podcast, available on all major podcasting apps and here.

Football Queensland Forms Regional Partnership with McDonald’s

Avatar
Image Credit: Football Queensland Facebook

Football Queensland (FQ) is excited to announce McDonald’s as the Official Quick Service Restaurant Partner for the Far North & Gulf region.

Under the two-year regional collaboration, McDonald’s will take on naming rights to the home of football in Cairns, with Endeavour Park now officially named Macca’s Park.

The partnership also includes support for grassroots football, with McDonald’s backing local clubs and celebrating junior players across the Far North and Gulf through the weekly MiniRoos Player of the Week voucher initiative.

FQ General Manager – Northern Conference, Craig Ramage, said the partnership was a major win for the region, highlighting FQ’s continued focus on growing the game in regional Queensland.

“This is an exciting opportunity to partner with an iconic brand in McDonald’s, whose long-standing support of community football aligns strongly with our vision for the game across the state,” he said via press release.

“We’re proud to extend this relationship into the Far North & Gulf, with the support from McDonald’s set to deliver direct benefits to grassroots programs, local clubs and junior players right across the region.

“The renaming of Endeavour Park to Macca’s Park is a powerful symbol of this partnership and our shared commitment to creating vibrant and welcoming regional football hubs that inspire the next generation of participants and bring communities together.”

McDonalds Far North Queensland Marketing Manager Jill Lennox, expressed that the partnership reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting active lifestyles and local communities through sport.

“Active lives are happier and healthier lives. McDonald’s wants to deliver valuable benefits to the wider community. With the goal of helping people live a more balanced, active and enriched lifestyle, McDonald’s is passionate about its sports and community sponsorships program,” she said via press release.

“McDonald’s is very proud to be the naming rights sponsor to the home of football in Cairns now known as Macca’s Park. This partnership is our way of giving back to the community which supports us and to assist in the development of important life skills such as commitment, hard work, and friendship.

“On behalf of McDonald’s, we would like to thank all competitors, parents, organisers, volunteers and other sponsors for their incredible support of Football Far North and Gulf region and we look forward to seeing you at Macca’s Park soon.”

This alliance marks an exciting chapter for football in the Far North & Gulf, as Football Queensland and McDonald’s work together to support the growth of the game across the region.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend