Players from across the statewide FQ Academy and Queensland State Team program have been honoured on the national and international stage this year, with their success in securing individual awards, professional contracts and selection in national teams highlighting the strength of Queensland’s talent pipeline and the FQ Academy pathway.
From the CommBank Emerging Matildas and Socceroos Championships to the A-Leagues and national teams, young Queenslanders are making their mark at the top levels of the game following the introduction of the full-time Queensland State Team program, including starring in professional leagues both in Australia and abroad.
CommBank Emerging Matildas and Socceroos Championships Honours
The 2026 CommBank Emerging Matildas and CommBank Emerging Socceroos Championships were highlighted by strong team performances and a record number of individual honours for Queensland players.
CommBank Emerging Socceroos Championships
- 5 individual awards & 1 team award
- 7 players named in Teams of the Tournament
CommBank Emerging Matildas Championships
- 2 individual awards
- 4 players named in Teams of the Tournament (including 2 outfield players playing up an age group)
These national achievements highlighted the success of Football Queensland’s full-time Queensland State Team program, with all Under 15 Boys award winners and Team of the Tournament players selected from the full-time program.
“The individual and group success from the CommBank Emerging Socceroos tournament is a fantastic demonstration of the talent development pathway in Queensland,” FQ Senior Manager – Technical (SEQ Conference) Matt Poole said.
“It reinforces the important role our clubs play in the development of players in Queensland at crucial ages, and the impact of the connected, statewide FQ Academy system that is producing results at both national and international levels.
“These individual honours are also testament to the success of the Queensland State Team program, which is providing a challenging, full-time environment for the state’s most talented players to give them the best chance of progressing to the national stage thanks to this strong pathway to national teams and professional football.”
“The performances of our Queensland goalkeepers at the CommBank Emerging Matildas Championships reflect the quality of work being undertaken across the state in club and FQ Academy representative pathways by our goalkeeper coaches. It also highlights the hard work and dedication of the players to their development and goalkeeping craft,” FQ Academy – Goalkeeping Development & QAS Goalkeeping Coach Dale Hill said.
“The identification of four female Queensland goalkeepers for the National Monitoring List, together with two female and one male Goalkeeper of the Tournament awards and multiple Team of the Tournament selections, is a fantastic achievement for our state.
“Producing four Goalkeeper of the Tournament winners across the past three years also demonstrates the strength and consistency of Queensland’s goalkeeper development pathway.”
FQ Academy Representation in National Teams
Queenslanders have continued to progress to national teams and professional leagues this year through the statewide FQ Academy pathway, including from the FQ Academy QAS program and FQ Academy Leagues.
CommBank Socceroos
- Lucas Herrington – maiden call-up for the CommBank Socceroos in March at just 18 years old, last week named in the final squad to represent Australia at the FIFA World Cup 2026™
CommBank Joeys
- Archie Mitchell – AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 and ASEAN U17 Championship 2026
- Mitch Bright – PacificAus Sports Football Tour 2026
- George Plusnin – 2026 ASEAN U-19 Boys’ Championship
CommBank Young Matildas
- Daisy Brown – AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026, May training camp (Australia vs New Zealand)
- Zara Kruger – AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026, May training camp (Australia vs New Zealand)
- Shelby McMahon – AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026
- Amali Kinsella – AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 training camp
- Lily Punch – May training camp (Australia vs New Zealand)
- Isabela Hoyos – May training camp (Australia vs New Zealand)
FQ Academy Representation in Professional Leagues
Queenslander Sam Klein’s signing to German club FC St. Pauli after progressing through the Football Queensland pathway into the NPL Queensland and Isuzu UTE A-League was an exciting reminder of the global opportunities available to our state’s most talented players, while closer to home, Queensland players excelled in the 2025/26 A-Leagues season.
A-Leagues
- Eli Adams – Isuzu UTE A-League Young Player of the Year
- Shelby McMahon – Melbourne City’s Ninja A-League Young Player of the Year, helped her side to the Premiership-Championship double including scoring a standout Semi Final goal
- Daisy Brown – Brisbane Roar’s Ninja A-League Young Player of the Year, nominee for Ninja A-League Young Footballer of the Year, scored the winner in her side’s Semi Final leg one clash
- Ella O’Grady – starred for Melbourne Victory, netting twice in the final round to secure her Ninja A-League side Finals qualification
Click here to find out more about the FQ Academy.
