Peter Parthimos talks origins of Futsal Oz and its current status

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Images provided by Peter Parthimos

Futsal in Australia is a sport that despite its chaotic, fast-paced and unmissable nature, tends to get misaligned within the plethora of sport the nation enjoy upon a commercial scale.

Participation is immense across multiple sporting organisations who operate indoor futsal competitions. Futsal Oz in particular, is the pinnacle of the latter.

Regarded by many as the premier futsal competition across the country, talent from futsal-rich nations across the globe now reside within clubs participating in both of the men’s and women’s competitions respectively.

Futsal icon Falcão, Brazilian and former Bayern Munich winger Douglas Costa, “The Doctor” Andre Caro – are just some of the many icons within the sport in whom have taken to a futsal court founded by Parthimos. With newly-founded talent emerging, the sport is on the precipice of unimaginable heights.

Peter Parthimos embodies futsal through his instinctive and optimistic nature. The Futsal Oz founder has spearheaded the growth of the indoor variation of football to unparalleled heights in Melbourne.

His ambitions surrounding the sport are on the verge of coming to fruition. But before we showcase where exactly futsal within Australia may be steering, Peter took us on a comprehensive journey immersed in the origin of Futsal Oz, its current status, and development he has overseen throughout his tenure as a founder.

What is the origin story of Futsal Oz?

Peter Parthimos: In 2003, at the age of 29 – after a five-year hiatus from both outdoor and indoor football – I was invited by my friend Evan Robotis to join a social futsal team. Despite initial reservations about the rock-hard size three ball I remembered, I quickly fell in love with the game, intrigued by its potential and the joy it brought me.

After a match, my curiosity about the league’s structure led to disappointment upon discovering the lack of professional organisation and support. This realisation sparked an idea: We approached current indoor providers and the governing body to develop the sport. Unfortunately, none shared my enthusiasm. Consequently, in 2004, we registered the business name Futsal Oz.

Our first steps included securing a venue, and by chance, my old high school in Brunswick High School had a suitable gymnasium with a full-size basketball court.

After almost two years of negotiations with the relevant standing committee, we established our first Social and Junior Leagues in 2006, and in 2007, we launched the V-League Premiership, now known as Series Futsal Victoria.

Our team’s dedication and hard work paid off. In 2008, we opened the purpose-built Brunswick Futsal Stadium on Victoria Street, allowing us to run futsal leagues seven days a week and developed the culture we know today.

In 2013, we opened a second futsal stadium in Mt. Evelyn, and in 2014, we opened a third stadium in Thomastown.

At this stage, Futsal Oz and Series Futsal had grown into a thriving community, driven by the vision to elevate futsal to a professional level and share its joy and potential with others.

How did Futsal Oz reach its current distinguished current day status?

Peter Parthimos: Futsal Oz’s journey to where we are today has been marked by dedication, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Here’s a look at how we got here and where we stand today for those unfamiliar with Series Futsal and Futsal Oz.

In 2007, the V-League Premiership, now known as Series Futsal, was established. The opening of the purpose-built Brunswick Futsal Stadium in 2008 marked a significant milestone, enabling us to host leagues seven days a week.

These facilities provided top-notch venues for players, fostering a vibrant futsal community and enhancing the overall experience.

Series Futsal has grown into a premier futsal competition, attracting top talent and offering a highly competitive platform for players all over Australia.

Futsal Oz has introduced various initiatives, including professional coaching, youth development programs, and extensive media coverage, further popularising the sport.

In 2015, we started developing our own software sports management system called WeFroth. This enables players, managers, parents, and fans to see all tables, fixtures, and team and player statistics live – goal for goal.

WeFroth is a complete sports management system that can run any sport – including features such as live scoreboard, point of sale, inventory control, and rostering.

Upcoming features include messaging services, online shopping, and a dynamic website designed for user friendliness.

This project is very exciting and offers new franchises the opportunity to set up their very own Futsal Oz franchise via subscription. This is the future of sports management, and we are at the forefront of this innovation.

Futsal Oz and Series Futsal are at the forefront of the futsal scene in Australia.

We operate multiple futsal stadiums, including those in Brunswick and Thomastown, each equipped with high-quality courts and amenities.

Comprehensive leagues cater to players of all ages and skill levels, from grassroots to elite competitions.

This includes Social Leagues, Junior Leagues, and the prestigious Series Futsal. We are committed to nurturing young talent through our youth development programs, offering quality leagues, coaching, and structured training sessions.

Futsal Oz is a hub for the futsal community, providing a platform for players to connect, compete, and grow. We host regular tournaments, events, and social activities to foster a sense of community.

We offer extensive media coverage of our games and events, including live streaming and commentary, ensuring that futsal reaches a wider audience.

Our vision is to continue elevating futsal to new heights, with innovation of our software with plans for further expansion, franchising and collaboration with governing bodies, creating pathways to FIFA-hosted competitions and leagues, enhancing player development programs, improving refereeing and ongoing community engagement.

Did Futsal Oz experience setbacks throughout the pandemic?

Peter Parthimos: Despite being heavily impacted during the COVID-19 period, Futsal Oz had to realign its vision and direction, leading to further develop software that can include new private ownership and making available the dream for enthusiast just like myself to run and operate their very own Futsal Oz via a software subscription which can be done from any part of the world.

We have done all the development from start to finish, which will allow a smooth operation for anyone who wants a career as a Futsal Oz owner.

Futsal Oz and Series Futsal have evolved and become synonymous with quality, passion, and growth in the futsal world. We remain dedicated to advancing the sport for all who love and play it, both as a junior grassroots sport and for social league enthusiasts.

What is an aspect of the business you are most proud of?

Peter Parthimos: I am grateful to be able to discover and develop talented people on and off the court, seeing players come in as a junior and developing into leaders, some working alongside me and other leading their clubs.

I am also grateful of the amazing community we have discovered over the last 20 years, we have seen couples get together, we have seen their children develop and without doubt we have seen unbelievable respect for all cultures from all walks of life.

I speak on behalf of my wife, Effie, that we are both very grateful that we’ve had the opportunity to raise our own children, Evangelia, Elias and Nicholas in the Futsal Oz environment and business whilst pursuing my dreams and goals.

As difficult as this may have been at times, I always had my family close by. Overall, I am extremely proud of the Futsal Oz family we have all discovered.

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Geelong Council proposes plans for new soccer hub

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Geelong Hub
Image Credit: City of Greater Geelong

The City of Greater Geelong has proposed plans for a new major soccer hub to address the region’s lack of professional level facilities. 

The proposal revealed a bid for a new regional facility in Geelong’s north which would transform the landscape of soccer in the city.

Plans for the facility highlighted it could provide up to eight elite pitches, including a primary exhibition pitch which could hold between 1000 to 2000 people for standard games, and up to 5000 people for special events.

On this show pitch, Geelong locals could bear witness to future National Premier League, A-League and even international games on their doorstep.

Currently, the council is scrutinising nine different locations across Geelong’s north for the proposed soccer hub. Additionally, a second subregional multi-sports hub towards the city’s south in the Armstrong Creek region was also revealed.

Rumblings of a regional soccer centre in Geelong first occurred in 2021 when the City of Greater Geelong committed $50,000 to a feasibility and business plan, which was later strengthened through a strategic partnership between the council and Football Victoria.

Speaking to Soccerscene, City of Greater Geelong Councilor and Chair of Sports and Recreation, Eddy Kontelj, explained why the proposed hubs would be so vital to soccer in the region.

“These regional facilities would open up so many great opportunities for us,” Cr Kontelj said.

“In terms of the development of coaches, players and administrators, a central location would certainly help us to correlate all the skills and services you need to help aid that development.

“But the exposure to the game here would be opened up too. Having significant tournaments played here of a national nature would be such an advantage.”

Furthermore, the council has plans for the new soccer hub to be used for premier games and competitions.

Councilor Eddy Kontelj says the hub would be a boon for Geelong. Image Credit: Eddy Kontelj

“In 2022-23 we completed an issues and opportunities report to assess where we need to go, and that’s driven this focus to establish our regional and subregional facilities in Geelong. We invited all our clubs and Western United to participate and we got really good feedback from it,” Cr Kontelj said.

‘United is really excited and they’re looking forward to being able to partner with us in Geelong to continue to grow the game in the region.

“And a facility like this could include the W-league, the Matildas, and the Socceroos – and the opportunity for those clubs to also train at a higher level at this type of facility.”

Currently, there is a shortage of elite level facilities in the Geelong region for soccer players. In 2023, the G21 Regional Football Strategy 2023-33 revealed that 36% of the city’s pitches were in a “poor” condition. The same report found a lack of football facilities, specifically multi-pitch facilities featuring natural, hybrid and synthetic grass were inhibiting participation and the ability to draw tournaments to the region.

Additionally, without a dedicated soccer hub, Geelong is on the backfoot compared to Victoria’s other major regional cities, Bendigo, Ballarat, Shepperton and Mildura.

Cr Kontelj denied that the sport had been neglected in the region but said that there was more to be done.

“At the club level our facilities are magnificent. I’ve compared those with the facilities Melbourne has and I’d have to suggest our sporting facilities are probably superior. I’ve even had club presidents tell me that too,” he said.

“However, having that said that – it’s the expansion and development of the game that we have probably been a little slower on, and that is something we must catch up on now.”

Through the new sports hubs across Geelong’s northern and southern regions, the council hopes the plans will not only cater for the area’s pre-existing network of players, clubs and fans but also provide easy access to pristine sporting facilities for a rapidly growing city.

“We’re one of fastest growing cities in Australia currently and we’ve got some new growth areas that are opening up – namely the north-northwest growth zone, which is forecasting to have some 110,000 to 120,000 people living there in the next 20 years,” Cr Kontelj said.

“This project is not only a requirement today. It’s going to be a requirement going forward with the growth of population that we’re expecting.” 

The council now aims to finalise the hubs’ design and secure funding for the project.

Keilor Park SC’s Vision for Growth: A Total Football Club

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Image provided by Ben Di-Lorenzo

Keilor Park SC has a rich history dating back to 1957, established under an Austrian social club in Richmond. Two years later, the club evolved into Keilor Park Austria, embracing its Austrian heritage through its colours—Viennese violet, a shade of purple and a national symbol of Austria—and its emblem featuring the Austrian eagle. While the Austrian influence remains an important part of its identity, the club has grown into a diverse and inclusive hub for the local soccer community in Melbourne’s north-west. 

The club is known for its commitment to inclusivity, offering a welcoming environment for players from all backgrounds. With a strong volunteer base, Keilor Park SC ensures that players and families receive exceptional service at every step, from registration to coaching and community events. Its reputation for being well-run and community-oriented has made it a popular choice for many aspiring soccer players. 

As Keilor Park SC continues to evolve, its partnerships with Football Victoria, Brimbank City Council have been vital to its growth. While challenges like limited space and infrastructure persist, the club remains focused on its future goals—promoting inclusivity, expanding its programs, and striving for success in higher-level competitions. 

Speaking with Soccerscene, President of Keilor Park SC Ben Di- Lorenzo shares insights into Keilor Park’s journey and its plans for the future.

What do you believe sets Keilor Park Soccer Club apart from other community-based soccer clubs in the region?

Ben Di-Lorenzo: We’ve always been known as the inclusive, welcoming club; we get feedback, that Keilor Park is welcoming to all types, the inclusive club. Our participation is our core differentiator in that we try not to discriminate against anybody, offering a range of programs so that everyone can participate. We have a large army of volunteers that help with our daily operations, providing professional service at a community level. When players and parents come to our club, they can expect exceptional service, from registering to trialling and receiving their uniforms to coaching or connection with the community events we hold. So yes, I think that’s our point of difference. 

The other element is that our female program has always been strong, right? So, you know, diversity for us has been just integral. We’ve never had to try to be diverse or inclusive; our female program started in 1986. That’s when we tried to kick off with a senior female team. It didn’t take off right away, but it did kick off in the early 90s, and the rest is history. From there, we’re trying our best to make the 50/50 participation between boys and girls, and we have more than 630 registered players in 2025, with close to 40% of them female players.

Keilor Park Soccer Club has grown into a well-established community club. How have partnerships with Football Victoria, the local council, and other stakeholders contributed to this growth?

Ben Di-Lorenzo: Councils are in a sticky situation because they only have so much property. We’re fortunate to work closely with our council, and they’ve provided us with additional space and adapted some rules to accommodate our growth. Still, we have to turn away players because we simply don’t have enough space. That’s not on the council—they’ve given us what they can and recognise our growth path. They’re doing their best to increase the number of fields available to us. There’s a lot of parkland adjacent to the club with multi-sport use—basketball, softball, footy, cricket, even remote cars—so some outer fields have been repurposed as temporary soccer fields. The council has really come to the party to help where possible. 

Football Victoria (FV) has always assisted us by setting the standard for what good looks like, but it’s up to us to achieve it. I always say, these programs are great, but if you don’t have volunteers, they won’t go anywhere. We’re lucky to have motivated volunteers who take on what FV offers. From a governance perspective, they regularly assess us to ensure we’re running the club properly, and they recognise our efforts. In some cases, we even get recognition and celebrate that with them, which is great.

Image provided by Ben Di-Lorenzo

How have community responses to the Go Soccer Mums and Go Girls programs reflected their impact on female participation in the sport, and what makes these initiatives stand out from traditional junior soccer programs?

Ben Di-Lorenzo: The Go Soccer Mums include mothers of some of our members, and former senior players from the 90s who come and have a kick, play in tournaments, and train every week. It’s fantastic to see that.
I think there’s this general perception, especially for women over 40, that they’ve never played a lot of sports. So, the fact that they’re getting out and playing soccer on weekends, wearing boots and shin pads is amazing. For me, I love that it’s an opportunity where we just say, “Who cares? Just come and have a kick.” That’s the enjoyment I get out of facilitating and enabling a program like Go Soccer Mums.

Go Girls is a little different. From what we’ve seen, girls don’t always come to soccer right away. The Matildas’ success brought in a lot of girls starting the program late, and it was hard for them to join a club, especially with trials in November for a season that doesn’t start until April. Go Girls is really an introduction to the sport—come once a week, pay as you turn up, no long-term commitment. This is a program that really suited that need, it gave girls the chance to say, “I want to give this a go,” without pressure. From there, we actually found some really good players who are now competing in our junior girls’ NPL. We’re quite proud that it became a pathway for identifying talent.

We host Football Victoria’s Girls Cup competition, they use our facilities, and we love to assist and enable community football as much as we can.

In terms of club governance and operations, The Executive Committee oversees a lot of key areas, from governance to strategic planning. What are some of the club’s biggest challenges and priorities in 2025?

Ben Di-Lorenzo: We have an ambitious strategy—we want to be a total football club that is well-run and well-governed. From a board perspective, it shouldn’t matter who’s in the seat, because we should be governed by rules, and we should be governed by the strategic intent of the club. That’s why we focus on having the right governance processes and decision-making frameworks in place to ensure stability and long-term success. 

From an on-the-field perspective, our senior programs are performance-based, with the goal of promotion to higher leagues. Our senior women are in the VPL, one step below the NPL, and their ambition is to reach that level. For the boys, currently in State League 1, we aim to progress them to the VPL and then eventually the NPL . 

For the first time this year, we are implementing more advanced level programs for MiniRoos and Junior level, and that’s sort of going to be challenging, right? Not to say that the community isn’t any different, it’s just that some of these players would like to have more training rather than the two days a week. Now, when you look to include 14 teams that are training three days a week, obviously there are challenges with having the right infrastructure in place. Making sure we’ve got the right coaches in place that can actually coach three days a week and be a lot more technical, and then having a football curriculum and making sure that they can follow the curriculum as much as possible. 

Not every player wants the same commitment—some enjoy training twice a week and being part of the club, while others want to train four or five times a week. While we aren’t in a position to offer the highest intensity level, we strive to provide a strong middle ground that supports different ambitions.

Are there any exciting upcoming initiatives or projects that will be directly influenced by the partnerships the club has?

Ben Di-Lorenzo: Yes, we just recently signed a partnership with Kia Australia, and we’re looking to rename the main pitch to ‘Kia Park’ which is exciting for our club. Kia Australia prefers to have connections with more community-based groups where they can have a bit more influence on how their messaging gets out. The other exciting part is that Kia has an association with FIFA, and that association allows our members exciting opportunities, like the potential of carrying out the match ball at the next most appropriate FIFA-regulated game. 

We also host what we would classify as one of the premium community club MiniRoos tournaments in Victoria, called the Keilor Cup, which has been running for 25 years. This year will be the 25th anniversary of the Cup which is for players from under sevens all the way up to under thirteens. It is only for community-based teams; no sort of academies can join it because we want to maintain it as a community-based competition. We invite over 220 teams to participate in more than 400 games across 17 pitches with matches played over the Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the AFL Grand Final weekend. That’s big for us, last year we had a team from New South Wales and Adelaide come across, and they’re committed to coming across again. So the 25th anniversary of the Keilor Cup is a big milestone for us and an exciting project and celebration.

In terms of future plans and club vision, what are the clubs long term goals, both for community engagement and competitive football?

Ben Di-Lorenzo: The goals are to extend our inclusivity and diversity into all abilities soccer. We do want to try to find a way in which we can facilitate all abilities competitive soccer at the club. We’ve started this with the council, and we’ve offered coaches to help at some of the council programs that are being run there, which we’d like to run on a more permanent basis. We’ve got some work to do to upgrade the facility, so that’s one of the things on our to –do list. From a competitive perspective, as I’ve mentioned before, our senior players need ambitions for our senior programs to climb up, to be more competitive in the NPL leagues. If there’s a licence open for the junior boys NPL program, we’d be open to applying for that. 

However, on the girls side, the FV have extended the NPL girls from 10 teams through to 16. People would debate if there’s 16 clubs worth of talent out there for females, and we probably all agree that there isn’t. But actually, I look at it differently. I see it as if the FV puts standards out there for you to develop and train in a certain way or that you meant to train, then you will develop more talented female players. So our long-term goal is to be quite competitive at the NPL level for our girls, but have them grown from our internal club program.

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