Queensland has recorded its most successful ever National Futsal Championships campaign, with all 12 teams reaching Semi Finals and five securing national titles at the 2023 event. 

This incredible result follows the state’s success at last year’s National Youth Championships and National Training Centre Challenge where Queensland state team sides dominated against teams from around Australia. 

The 2023 National Futsal Championships, hosted by Football Victoria, saw more than 100 teams and close to 1,000 participants travel across the country to compete. 

Following five days of intense competition, the U12 Boys, U14 Boys, U15 Boys, U16 Boys and Opens AWD mixed secured National Futsal Championship titles for Queensland. 

FQ Manager – Futsal Vince Sciacca said the state’s achievements come back to the quality of player development happening within Queensland clubs. 

“We’ll take credit for the SEQ Futsal Premier League, but the clubs should take credit for the development of their players which contributed to our overall strength,” Sciacca said. 

“The other states are going to be coming back at us as we’ve set a new benchmark and it’s going to be tough to top this performance, but with the launch of the FQ Futsal Academy in April, it will provide us with a longer term development program and open up additional pathways for our players.” 

All 12 Queensland referees who attended the National Futsal Championships were selected for Grand Finals with Louise Merritt awarded ‘Rookie Referee of the Tournament’, and former Queensland official Declan Woods awarded ‘Referee of the Tournament’. 

“Our referees were outstanding, they conducted themselves to a high standard. We have a really good product, and they were the icing on the cake; they were coordinated, they were professional, they are what made our tournaments stand out,” Sciacca said.

“Our volunteers were absolutely amazing as well, all the feedback from the parents has been outstanding.” 

Following the success of Queensland state teams at the national tournament, Queensland’s futsal AWD coach Trudy Bartlett has been invited to coach an Australian Athletes with Disabilities team attending the upcoming INAS Global Games in Vichy, France in June. 

Three players from the same team, Josh Long, Micheal Giallourakis and Cameron Brazier (pictured below) have also been selected to attend the training camp where the final team will be chosen. 

Sciacca said he would like to acknowledge the efforts of all volunteers, coaches, players, families and referees who were involved in the 2023 National Futsal Championships. 

“I truly can say from my heart that we actually felt like a family, this was our family for a week.”