FQ Academy players from across Queensland have excelled in recent state, national, and international tournaments and carnivals, reinforcing the depth of talent within our state’s football community and the effectiveness of the FQ Academy pathway in developing advanced talent. 

“Football Queensland is extremely proud of our players as they continue to impress on the pitch, demonstrating the strength of the pathways available for Queenslanders of all ages to represent their clubs, regions, state and even their country through the statewide FQ Academy,” FQ CEO Robert Cavallucci said. 

“The selection of five FQ Academy players in the Australian Under 17 national team that was crowned ASEAN U-16 Champions, and the recent performances of FQ Academy players from across the state only emphasises the depth and calibre of Queensland’s talent pool.” 

FQ Junior Cup and WinterFest24 

The FQ Junior Cup brought together 39 clubs and 87 teams from every region in June, with FQ Academy-affiliated clubs excelling across the board and Gold Coast United FC securing the Under 12 and Under 13 girls Gold Cup double. 

WinterFest24, the state’s largest junior carnival, followed closely and featured Under 9 to Under 11 teams from FQ Academy regional centres and selected FQ Academy League clubs from South East Queensland. Both competitions provided the perfect opportunity for our emerging junior talent from across the state to showcase their skills for future representative team contention. 

FQ Academy State Championships 

Kicking off in July, the FQ Academy State Championships welcomed Under 13 and Under 14 boys teams from across the state as they gathered to compete against their peers and vie for selection in the Queensland representative squads for the State of Origin Cup and future state team opportunities.  

After three days of hard-fought battles and competition, four FQ Academy sides were crowned state champions in their respective Under 13 and Under 14 categories, with two regional titles being claimed by FQ Academy Whitsunday Coast and FQ Academy Northern & Far North & Gulf. Two FQ Academy Whitsunday Coast squads also claimed Cup glory alongside multiple FQ Academy League clubs. 

National Youth Championships  

In July, the national spotlight shone brightly on FQ Academy players from across Queensland. Ten boys and girls state squads, featuring top talent from every region across Under 15 and Under 16 age groups, proudly represented the state at the National Youth Championships.  

A significant number of these players hailed from the FQ Academy programs in the Northern Conference, highlighting the success of FQ’s ‘One Queensland’ approach to talent identification and state team selection. 

Throughout the two tournaments, our Queensland teams showcased their skills as they competed against top players from across the country. Notably, both the Queensland Maroon U15 girls and Queensland White U16 boys reached the Finals, while the Maroon U16 girls secured a spot in the third-place playoff. 

FQ Academy QAS player Lily Punch emerged as the U16 girls competition’s top goal scorer, netting 8 goals in 7 games. 

ASEAN U-16 Boys Championship 

Our state also had plenty to celebrate on the international stage this month as five Queenslanders were selected in the Australian Under 17 Subway Joeys squad that secured the 2024 U-16 ASEAN Championship title in Surakarta, Indonesia. 

Representing the green and gold were current and former FQ Academy players Jonty Benfield, Quinn MacNicol, Rhys Williams, Charlie Parkin, and David Bolongi, who not only played pivotal roles in the squad’s championship success, but also represented the largest contingent of Queensland players to join the Joeys squad in over a decade. 

FQ Academy graduate and Brisbane Roar player Quinn MacNicol’s crucial equaliser goal in the Final contributed to Australia’s victory over Thailand in a nail-biting penalty shootout, the squad’s victory marking a significant milestone as the first silverware claimed by an Australian men’s national team since 2019. 

MacNicol also ended the tournament as joint top goal scorer with six goals, further underscoring the international calibre of talent nurtured through the FQ Academy program. 

Football Queensland wishes to extend a huge congratulations to all our FQ Academy players for their fantastic achievements over the past month and in 2024 so far. As we now turn our attention to the upcoming tournaments and events scheduled for the remainder of the year, we hope to see all our participants continue to shine. 

#QueenslandProud