Robert Cavallucci proud of competition reforms, outlines FQ’s plans for 2021

Despite a challenging 2020 for football across the country, a small silver lining to emerge on the extremely dark cloud that COVID-19 cast was the opportunity for administrators to implement off-field reform.

In an exclusive interview with Soccerscene, Football Queensland CEO Robert Cavallucci met to discuss the organisation’s strong end to the year and his aspirations for 2021.

“As disrupted as last year was due to COVID-19, it gave us an opportunity to push hard on news. We implemented a lot of competition and league reforms, and introduced new products across the board,” Cavallucci said.

“We had so many positive things coming out and projects being delivered along with the supplementary work around infrastructure, facilities, and accessibility. It’s hard not to suggest that the year was incredible for Football Queensland and we are really optimistic about building on that.”

Among the major initiatives set to commence in 2021 and expand further in 2022, is Football Queensland’s strategic plan to create a connected competition model.

Announced in October 2020, the plan aims to create one linked football pyramid where a promotion/relegation system exists from the National Premier League (NPL) all the way through to community level.

“How the model links the more advanced end of the competitive environment with the community end is a huge step for football in Queensland. We did the heavy lifting on connecting the leagues through 2020 and it’s one of the most exciting highlights for me personally,” Cavallucci said.

How FQ is transitioning to a linked football pyramid.

“Through promotion and relegation into and out of FQPL 2, clubs across Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, and South West Queensland will have the opportunity, from 2022, to compete for promotion into the new third tier and beyond.”

“It provides the mechanism for aspirational clubs, players, and coaches have a clear path from where they are to where they want to go. That has always been limited by the competitive structure in the past.”

Included in the reform is the replacement of the Under-20 age group with a new Under-23 age group across NPL, FQPL 1 and FQPL 2.

The change is designed to generate the opportunity for more competitive match minutes for young footballers, an issue which has plagued Australian football in the past.

In addition to sweeping structural changes set to take place, Football Queensland has made positive advancement to women’s football, something Cavallucci is extremely keen to build on.

The Kappa Women’s Super Cup was announced in November 2020 and is set to commence in early 2021. The knockout style tournament will follow a similar structure to the widely lauded FFA Cup.

“Another key step was to address the failures of the past. Women traditionally haven’t had the same opportunities as men when it comes to football,” he added.

“We have the Women’s Super Cup commencing this year and it will provide female teams across the state to engage in a knockout-style tournament, similar to what the men have had. There’s no better time to introduce the tournament than with the FIFA Women’s World Cup coming up and with 2021 marking the 100-year anniversary of the earliest recorded public women’s football match in Queensland.”

“They are probably the two most exciting steps for me. Connecting the football pyramid and the work we have been doing in the women’s space.”

Football Queensland’s strategic plan to promote accessibility and inclusion will also encompass Futsal. The federation is aiming to grow the five-a-side game through its 2020-2022 Futsal Strategy, which can be found HERE.

The push to promote Futsal will begin with the F-League, a new conference style futsal competition for that will kick off in March. In a similar style to the competition reforms, the change will aim to take the sport to a new level by connecting Futsal competitions around the state and providing a new elite Futsal competition for men and women.

“We’ve always managed our state’s Futsal rather than outsourcing it, we are embracing Futsal as its own game and it deserves to be treated as such. People don’t realise the participation and growth opportunity for Futsal,” Cavallucci said.

“It’s not just a game for outdoor players to enjoy in the off-season. There are Futsal-only players and now we have the framework in place to strategically grow the sport. We want to promote Futsal coaching courses, refereeing courses and other similar initiatives because Futsal is different and nuanced.”

With improvements to accessibility, infrastructure, competition format, and women’s football already in motion, Cavallucci added that there is still plenty more to come from Football Queensland for 2021.

“Hopefully, COVID-19 will be out the door now for good and we can have a fairly stable year in 2021. We focused heavily on competitions last year and this year we can focus more on the back-end of the game.”

Previous ArticleNext Article

Brisbane Roar partners with PlanPay for 2026/27

Staff Writer
Image Credit: Brisbane Roar

TWELVE months ago, as the 2025/26 A-League Men’s season kicked off, Brisbane Roar’s active supporter group surged back to life.

‘The Den’ – as they’re known – had been a famous feature of the Roar’s Championship-winning glory years. Now heavily re-populated by a younger wave of supporters, their enthusiasm through early-season results against Macarthur, Melbourne City and Newcastle made them, momentarily, the talk of the A-League.

The Roar’s administration understand what a crucial role their supporters play in the health of the club – be they the new generation at the front of The Den, or the loyalists who have ridden the ups and downs of their 21 A-League seasons.

So, they have partnered with Australian-founded company PlanPay, to soften the financial barriers and increase fiscal flexibility for those wanting to cheer on the Roar’s men’s and women’s sides, helping to get them in the stands as early as possible.

‘Membership is the most important thing we offer, but given the current cost of living crisis, it’s also the hardest ask at the moment,’ Roar’s Head of Public Relations and Communications, Joseph Esposito, told Soccerscene.

‘When you’re targeting families of four, or youngsters, a full membership can be a big hit in one go. It’s important to be realistic, so having an option like PlanPay lets members spread that cost over time with no interest and no credit check.’

‘It also means we can get people to commit to membership earlier, to come on board and be part of something. It works on both ends, allowing us to offer an earlier price point for potential members – and most importantly, we’re not asking them to spend beyond their means.’

One of PlanPay’s key advantages is its ability to align payment schedules with how Australians actually earn their income.

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics payroll data from March 2024, approximately 86% of Australian employees are paid weekly or fortnightly, with 33% receiving weekly wages and 53% paid fortnightly. In comparison, just 12% are paid monthly.

Despite this, many traditional membership payment options are structured around upfront or monthly payments, which don’t necessarily align with household cash flow.

By offering weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments, PlanPay allows Roar supporters to choose a payment schedule that suits their payday and household budget, making football memberships more manageable without relying on credit, interest or debt.

The partnership is also timely in a local sense; the ABS has also found sports participation costs in Brisbane rose 9.6% in the year to June 2025. Furthermore, as of March 2026, 41% of Australians had used a BNPL service in the past six months (Finder).

‘From our end, it’s essentially a bit like a modern layby. You choose your membership, pay a small deposit, and then pay the rest in instalments on the schedule that suits the individual,’ said Esposito.

‘Once the first payment is made your membership is fully active. We have previously had monthly payments to ease the pinch, but opening it up to have fortnightly or weekly options, more often makes it a whole lot easier to have people in.’

PlanPay was founded in Sydney in 2022 as a digitised lay-by for travel, and has since moved into ticketing, sports, and live events alongside expansion into the US and UK.

The company is now based in Charlotte, North Carolina, while maintaining its engineering, customer support and onboarding presence in Australia. PlanPay continues to partner with merchants globally to bring another way to pay, to more fans, Brian Learst, Chairman of PlanPay said:

‘We are thrilled to help Brisbane Roar FC lower the total cost of attending their matches by providing fans with debt-free, interest-free flexible payment plans.’

‘PlanPay allows fans to purchase the best seats early and customise their payment size and timing.’

Both the Roar’s men’s and women’s side present as fascinating prospects this season.

Newly-appointed women’s manager Johnathan Clemente is the youngest manager in A-Leagues history, with his charges looking to better last season’s impressive semi-final finish.

Meanwhile, the men’s outfit kicked off their second season under Michael Valkanis on Friday at Suncorp Stadium with an impressive win over Perth Glory, and will again rely on the energy and passion of those in the stands to drive their success both on and off the field.

‘Our fans are not just the present, but the future. In that regard, it’s not about getting them to spend beyond their means; it’s about allowing them to get in earlier, and in an easier way,’ continued Esposito.

‘Lots of younger fans are students, or they’re early in their working lives. Being realistic about it, paying a full season membership can sometimes be a real barrier, especially if they’re living out of home, paying rent for the first time.

‘Having PlanPay allows them to have the option that isn’t acquiring interest or debt, makes it easier for them to budget, and most importantly allows them to do what they do, without spending beyond their means.’

Make Membership More Accessible for Your Fans — Talk to PlanPay

Queensland Football Convention 2026: continued growth ahead of 2027; embracing developments in tech

Avatar

Football Queensland’s third annual convention was held at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from October 9-11th, bringing together thought leaders, key administrators and change-makers for an immersive learning and networking experience, providing the chance for discussion on the challenges and developments shaping the game’s future.

Soccerscene CEO Stace Ioannidis is optimistic about the sport’s future following the event – describing an atmosphere of growing awareness surrounding the convention as it progresses year-on-year.

Attending the conference for the business’s second year in a row as media partners, Soccerscene took part in high-level debate surrounding key pillars of growth, sustainability – covering governance and transformation – and technology.

Guest speakers including Robbie Kruse, former Socceroo and UEFA Champions League forward; Football Australia’s Head of Referees, Jon Moss; and Moregold Performance Consultant’s Wayne Goldsmith.

They were joined by Emma McKeon, Australia’s most decorated Olympian, and Tony Wilson, Founder of Performance Lab.

Addressing participants on the convention’s opening day, McKeon’s ‘Champion Mindset’ talk touched on resilience, goal setting and coping with setbacks. Drawing on a remarkable career comprising 14 Olympic medals, McKeon emphasised the power of converting small gains into extraordinary results.

Socceroos icon Mark Bosnich said the convention ‘wowed’ him, comparing it to Sydney’s Royal Easter Show in terms of excitement and attendance; he is eager to replicate similar at Football NSW, and highlighted the importance of bringing like-minded organisations together to ensure the sport harnesses its full potential.

Attendees were even the beneficiaries of a well-timed epic, as Saturday evening’s Australia Cup final was streamed onto a giant projector. South Melbourne’s triumph provided a healthy dose of football atmosphere as the convention took in the historic occasion together.

AI’s impact

StepOut AI joined FQ for its convention as official Performance Analysis Partners, driving conversations around how performance intelligence can be integrated into player development, talent identification and improvements to measurement of progress.

Tom Laxton, State Technical Director at Football Queensland, highlighted the importance of data in scouting – calling it a ‘baseline of real, true performance information without bias.’

StepOut AI aims to empower clubs, nurture talent, and build a ‘stronger development ecosystem across Queensland’.

Laxton described this new partnership as a ‘utopia’, with the goal of evolving into an integrated system where data will be readily available on players across the state.

Growth

Keynote speaker Tony Wilson delved into mindset, next-level leadership and high-performance culture. Having worked in clubs across Australia and the United States, Wilson’s experience builds on performance science coupled with practical leadership strategies to avoid burnout.

Former Premier League referee Moss followed with a discussion on building better coach-referee relationships, exploring how clearer communication, mutual respect and collaboration can contribute to more positive environments.

Improved Facilities

Sustained participatory growth across the sport reveals a need for improved infrastructure. Soccerscene met with convention partners Musco Lighting, who are working with stadiums and high school soccer facilities to control light spills and visibility.

Warwick Waters, spokesperson for convention partner Bild Group, highlighted the company’s synthetic playing surfaces – both natural and hybrid – and their impact on improving facilities for players, so that pitches across Queensland can maximise their number of participants.

He was joined by representatives from Sport Eng, sports field design and construction specialists, and Field Turf, Australia’s leading synthetic turf manufacturer.

The latter business recently shared the results of a 14-year study proving that athletes playing on surfaces with higher infill weight experience a lower incidence of ankle injuries during high school games. This data was gathered from 4,275 games across 104 schools, concerning a turf design system Field Turf has utilised for the past 25 years.

Sustainability

Wayne Goldsmith’s panel ‘Why Coaches Quit’ led a discussion on coach training and retention.

Posting on LinkedIn ahead of his scheduled talk, Goldsmith lamented the loss of ‘knowledge, relationships and culture’, which disappears when a coach resigns.

Goldsmith frames the retention of great coaches as an active choice clubs can make, rather than being attributable to pure luck – and that clubs which succeed in achieving this can expect better growth than those with higher staffing turnover.

Goldsmith has worked across elite and grassroots sport, consulting for organisations including Tennis Australia, USA Swimming, NZ Rugby and the Brisbane Lions.

What’s next?
Soccerscene is excited to apply the teachings and feedback gathered at Football Queensland’s 2026 Convention in our ongoing media debates, and are looking forward to continued collaborations with new business contacts in the broader football space.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend