Off the Pitch Podcast: Cavallucci On the Importance of FQ’s Future Club+ Initiative for Local Clubs

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Image Credit: Football Queensland

On Episode 16 of Soccerscene’s Off the Pitch Podcast, it was a special episode with FQ CEO Rob Cavallucci ahead of the all-important 2025 Queensland Football Convention.

Many topics around the issues in Queensland football were discussed including Futsal’s incredible growth, update on Perry Park’s upgrade plan and driving player retention in certain youth age groups.

On the topic of administration, FQ’s new Future Club+ is a ground-breaking initiative designed to strengthen the foundations of football clubs across the state.

The concept of this began after last year’s convention and through interactive club lab sessions and ongoing consultation, FQ are continuing those discussions and driving practical change.

Cavallucci discussed the current volunteering and administration issues that are plaguing local football clubs.

“Future Club+ is in line with what I talked about earlier in regard to what we need to do to best position this sport for the next 20 years,” he said.

“Clubs are run by volunteers and volunteerism is waning. A lot of clubs can’t get the administration right because they also can’t get the governance right.

“The sport is run by volunteers and when you look at the fact that volunteerism is declining in Australia across every sport, you know it’s a problem we have to solve right now.

“From a governing body point of view, when you look at that, that’s actually a limiting factor on the success of our sport.”

He also gave a solution on how FQ are going to tackle this in the future, specifically in regards to what  Future Club+ will offer in the 2025 Queensland Football Convention and beyond.

“We need to start to work with clubs to transform how they manage themselves and that means a whole series of things. Hence the Future Club+ concept is looking at that and rethinking about best practice of how a club should operate,” he said.

“What we’ve been doing over the last 18 months through a series of webinars and in the last convention, and even in this upcoming one, there’s three Future Club+ sessions and it’s all about best practice at a club.”

In this convention, the three Future Club+ sessions are:

#1 What data reveals about your club future

#2 The amalgamation playbook: Real stories from the clubs forging the future

#3 The growth engine: your tool kit to fund staff and empower volunteers.

“Those three subjects should be very appealing to any club.”

Click hear the full interview with Rob Cavallucci, on Episode 16 of Soccerscene’s Off the Pitch Podcast – available on all major podcasting platforms.

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Football NSW announce price freeze for junior and youth players

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Image Credit: Football NSW

Football NSW has announced a fee freeze for junior and youth community players in 2027, continuing its pledge to keep the game accessible for everyone across the state. 

In addition, senior players aged 19 and above will see their registration fee increase by just $1.50. Both junior and youth player fees will remain the same at $54.43, whilst senior members will pay $107.50.

The fee freeze highlights Football NSW’s commitment to keeping the game financially convenient for both players and families. 

Football NSW CEO, John Tsatsimas, said via Football NSW, “Football is the game of the people, and we recognise the importance of keeping participation accessible for families across our state. By freezing our registration fees for junior and youth players in 2027, we are continuing to support the next generation of footballers and help ensure that cost is not an unnecessary barrier to participation.”

The decision comes following similar price freezes at Football Queensland and Northern NSW Football in 2025. 

Despite the governing bodies acting separately, their unity on maintaining affordability throughout the game is a welcome sign. Managing to keep fees at an fair rate for families is a key component in sustaining grassroots football across the country.

“We have worked hard to manage the pressures facing the game, particularly around insurance, while ensuring Football NSW can continue to deliver the services and support our clubs, associations and participants expect,” said Tsatsimas. 

Despite the cost of living crisis, it is important that the game remains accessible for everyone. Football NSW have identified that even during tougher financial times, they can keep it that way. 

Through diligent financial handling, especially with care surrounding insurance and inflation (more of which can be read here), they are prioritising the game long-term over a short financial gain.

This fee freeze will directly impact the senior players and the families of younger members, too. The decision makes football not only more accessible, but provides more opportunities for players to strive for the highest levels of the game. 

Football Victoria demands more Victorian Government support amid grassroots boom

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Marlborough Street Reserve. Credit Football Victoria

Football Victoria is targeting Victorian Government funding for Glen Eira FC, in order to improve the club’s facilities and accommodate a recent surge in participation.

The interest and demand in football across Melbourne is ever growing, and Glen Eira FC is one such example.

Located in Melbourne’s inner south-east, the club has more than 1,100 players with nearly 95% of them aged 18 or under. In the suburb of Bentleigh alone, football participation has increased 18% alongside female engagement growing 76% in recent years.

However, at Marlborough Street Reserve, the conditions of the pitch – specifically during winter – can curb accessibility. Wet weather, non-stop usage and limited capacity make it difficult to accommodate all club members. This results in restricted training and playing opportunities.

Lachlan Cole, Football Victoria’s Head of Government Relations & Facilities, said via Football Victoria: “The story at Glen Eira FC is one we are seeing right across Victoria and specifically in Metropolitan Melbourne. Participation is growing, particularly among juniors, women and girls, but the infrastructure needed to support that growth is buckling under the weight of demand.”

To tackle this, both Football Victoria and Glen Eira FC want to convert the existing pitch to a synthetic surface and provide improved lighting for the ground. This would create a more reliable environment for players and support the growing demand for football in that community.

Speaking to Football Victoria, Glen Eira FC President Odilia Wijburg said, “A new sporting precinct with a synthetic pitch would be a game changer, providing year-round access, supporting participation growth and creating a lasting community asset that will benefit local families for generations.”

These issues are not exclusive to just Victoria, but are instead seen nation-wide. Football NSW recently pledged over AUD 200,000 to three amateur clubs to help upgrade their facilities and support the local communities.

Despite the increased interest in the game, the lack of reliable infrastructure, especially in grassroots football, leaves not only local areas without proper facilities, but creates a complicated road for young players hoping to navigate to the top of the game. 

Without the support of the Victorian Government, grassroots football could suffer an underwhelming fate. If the game is not supported from the bottom, the top might not reap the rewards of the next generation. And if that happens, alongside local communities, both the domestic leagues and the international team may suffer.

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