Sunshine Coast hosts Football Queensland’s Junior Cup
The Football Queensland Junior Cup will return to the Sunshine Coast in 2026, welcoming Under 12 Boys and Under 12-13 Girls from every region across the state from Saturday, 28 June to Tuesday, 30 June 2026.
Delivered in partnership with Sunshine Coast Council, the FQ Junior Cup will be held at the University of the Sunshine Coast for the first time in 2026 as Queensland’s best young footballers gather for three days of high-quality competition.
Sunshine Coast Resilient Economy Portfolio Councillor Terry Landsberg, said hosting the FQ Junior Cup in 2026 delivers a boost for local sport and the region’s visitor economy.
“Every year we see these young footballers lift the standard — their talent is incredible,” Cr Landsberg said.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for young players to show their skills and grow their confidence as we head toward Brisbane 2032, with our region proposed to host preliminary football matches at Sunshine Coast Stadium.
“Families travelling here for the FQ Junior Cup will experience not only top-level junior football, but also the warm, welcoming environment our region is known for.
“We hope they take time to explore our beaches, local businesses and world class tourist attractions and experiences while they’re here.”
Football Queensland State Technical Director Tom Laxton said following the success of last year’s event, the FQ Junior Cup would bring together the state’s top regional FQ Academy teams and invited FQ Academy clubs from South East Queensland as they vie for Championship titles on the beautiful Sunshine Coast.
“The FQ Junior Cup provides our most talented young footballers from across Queensland with valuable development opportunities as they play competitive match minutes against their peers from other regions," Mr Laxton said.
“It also forms an important part of the talent identification process through the FQ Academy program, which delivers the state’s only nationally recognised pathway to state and national team selection.
“We look forward to seeing the skills of our young players from across the state on show across three unmissable days of action, and would like to thank Sunshine Coast Council for their ongoing support of the FQ Junior Cup as it returns to the region in 2026.”
This event is proudly supported by Sunshine Coast Council through the Major Events Sponsorship Program. This program helps deliver the Sunshine Coast Council’s Major Events Strategy, which aims to generate $86 million in economic benefit for the region through increased visitation and local spending.