Sport
24 October, 2026
Soccer clubs big victory
THE state’s soccer clubs, including Innisfail United, have won a victory over Football Queensland’s proposed fee hikes for 2027.
Following pressure, the Football Queensland Board, in consultation with the Football Queensland Congress, has decided to retain the existing 2026 fee structure for the 2027 season, with “modest adjustments to reflect inflation and changes to the treatment of transaction and technology costs”.
“Our responsibility is to make decisions in the best interests of football across Queensland,” a FQ statement said.
“That means listening to our clubs, being prepared to reconsider our approach when needed and making decisions that are practical for the people who deliver football in our communities,” it said.
“While we remain confident in the objectives behind the previously proposed Competition Access Fee (CAF) model, we recognise that it represented a significant change for clubs, many of which rely heavily on volunteers.
“Having carefully considered the feedback and the practical challenges of implementation, the board believes retaining the existing structure for 2027 is the most sensible way forward.”
What it means is that the miniroos enrolment fee will rise $3 to $50 plus a $7 technology and transaction fee to total $60, juniors will go up $6 plus a $8 technology and transaction fee to total $80 and seniors by $10 plus a $10 technology and transaction fee to total $150.
The move comes after an unprecedented show of solidarity with Innisfail United Football Club (Cutters), as well as Cairns and Tableland clubs, joining more than 70 others across Queensland in criticising FQs new Competition Access Fees (CAF) for 2027.
A joint statement across the clubs’ social media sites called for a pause on the proposed CAF model, full financial transparency, consultation with clubs and for FQ to work with them to advance a “fair and sustainable way forward”.
“Our clubs may represent different communities, regions and competitions, but we are united,” the statement says.
“This is not about resisting change. It is about ensuring that change is reasonable, properly planned and does not place unfair costs, risks or administrative burdens on families and volunteer-run clubs.
“We remain committed to working constructively with Football Queensland for the benefit of everyone involved in our game.”
Mareeba United president Angelo Tatti said the current situation was very “up in the air”.
“It’s a bit of a mess really,” he said.
“We got an email from Football Queensland, probably about two weeks ago, about their fees, and you know, their fees just seem to be increasing all the time, and in this day and age ... families are struggling enough as it is.
“Everything’s just about money and they just take, take, take; they don’t give us anything.”
He said the difference this time was that the fee hike had even riled the southern clubs.
“The big teams in Brisbane are starting to feel the pinch about the fees going up – per child.”
Tatti said the costs for families with several children in the sport, as well as hidden costs such as kits, boots, transport, and even entry fees to watch the games, added up to a point where clubs were worried families would walk away.
“It goes against the state government’s push for more young people in sport and supporting kids playing sport and young people getting involved,” he said.
“And for us up in regional areas, our numbers aren’t as big as other clubs. So the price is just creeping up all the time. It goes right from the young kids right up to the A-grade players.”
He also added that the clubs were concerned over how the information around the fee changes had been delivered.
“Like, even the terminology. Just put it in plain English where everyone can understand it,” Tatti said. “At the moment, like I said, it’s all up in the air.”