It’s time for trophies to be won and heroes to be made as the three-game Grand Final weekend finally arrives and the much-anticipated Kappa Festival of Football kicks off.
After a unique 2020 season, there are six teams set to vie for silverware across two massive match days at Perry Park.
The action begins with the Football Queensland Premier League decider on Friday night, before the focus falls on the National Premier Leagues (NPL) Queensland Women’s and Men’s finales in a huge double-header on Saturday.
CLICK HERE for ticket details and information on hospitality packages. All fans are strongly encouraged to pre-purchase tickets as prices will rise and limited options will be available at the gate in accordance with COVID Safe compliance guidelines.
If you can’t make it to the venue, all matches will be broadcast live on NPL.TV, free for Australian residents.
And don’t forget to visit footballqueensland.com.au/festival-of-football for everything you need to know about the epic seven-game Kappa Festival of Football!
FQPL GRAND FINAL
Logan Lightning v SWQ Thunder
It could be a real weekend to remember for Logan Lightning.
The first of the club’s two shots at securing Grand Final success arrives on Friday night and seems to be in safe hands with their consistently excellent FQPL side.
Beaten just twice all season and only once since August, Rick Coghlan’s side were deserving promotion winners after finishing two points above SWQ Thunder at the end of the regular season.
An efficient Semi Final victory against Wolves FC followed and now comes an opportunity to complete the double.
Of course, it will be far from easy to achieve the feat against a team that is certain to be highly motivated.
Though they’ve had to come to terms with spending another season in the second tier, Thunder brushed aside any suggestions they might lose focus by claiming a confident 2-0 win over Mitchelton FC last weekend.
If one thing is for certain, it’s that this match has the potential for fireworks: Logan and SWQ shared nine goals across their two regular season encounters.
Lightning striker Adam Edgar was on target in both games and shapes as the man to keep an eye on at Perry Park.
Match Details
Friday, 27 November, 7:30pm
Perry Park
Live Stream Link
NPL WOMEN’S GRAND FINAL
Lions FC v Logan Lightning
Lions FC have the chance to become just the second club in NPL Women’s history to win back-to-back Grand Finals after clawing their way back to the big stage.
The reigning Champions have had to show fortitude this season, slipping to three defeats during their home-and-away campaign – two more than in 2019 – and only narrowly squeezing past Capalaba FC last weekend.
But as Semi Final goalscorers Mariel Hecher and Winonah Heatly demonstrated, there is plenty of elite talent and star power running through what is a formidable outfit.
Logan, another team with deep reserves of resilience, stand between Lions and more silverware.
After finishing fourth on the ladder, Lightning travelled south to meet Gold Coast United in the Semi Finals with most expecting the Premiers to continue their strong form.
Instead, Meaghan McElligott’s tremendous header and some outstanding defending ensured the underdogs emerged victorious and with a first NPL Women’s Grand Final appearance ahead of them.
Another upset, on a stage such as this and against an opponent as accomplished as Lions, would represent remarkable progress following 10th and eighth-place finishes in their previous two seasons.
Match Details
Saturday, 28 November, 4:30pm
Perry Park
Live Stream Link
NPL MEN’S GRAND FINAL
Olympic FC v Lions FC
Will it be third time lucky for Ben Cahn and Olympic FC?
The Head Coach for the combined NPL All-Stars and Queensland State Team Men’s squad leads his club into another Grand Final after going close to glory in 2018 and 2019, his first two seasons at Goodwin Park.
Gold Coast Knights inflicted the heartbreak last term but it’s the extra-time loss to Lions FC of two years ago that may occupy a few Olympic minds heading into Saturday night’s NPL Men’s decider.
Cahn’s men took an early lead in 2018 through their now-captain Steve Whyte, but Nathan Reardon and Marek Madle both buried headers to swing the result and the Championship in Lions’ favour.
Warren Moon, who masterminded that victory, has now moved on to Brisbane Roar and so it will be his former assistant and successor, Darren Sime, providing the instructions at Perry Park.
He will have to extract an improvement on the 1-0 and 3-0 defeats Lions suffered at the hands of Olympic during the regular season, but last weekend’s stunning 4-1 win over Premiers Peninsula Power proved there is plenty of life left in one of the competition’s ever-present forces.
Jez Lofthouse, who scored in this fixture three weeks ago and then pocketed the opener in Olympic’s Semi Final victory against Knights, will be one to watch.
The exciting winger is in line to join 10 other NPL All-Stars and Queensland State Team Men’s squad members on show.
Match Details
Saturday, 28 November, 7:30pm
Perry Park
Live Stream Link
