A united stand from 100-plus clubs forces Football Queensland to rethink fee reforms

More than 100 Queensland football clubs have forced a major rethink of proposed 2027 fee reforms, with Football Queensland pausing its plans following widespread opposition.

The governing body confirmed the decision on Friday after clubs raised concerns over rising costs, financial transparency and the potential impact of a new Competition Access Fee (CAF) model on grassroots football.

Among those opposing the changes was Wynnum Wolves president Rabieh Krayem, who claimed the proposed structure would increase his club's charges from Football Queensland by 64.6%. Clubs also expressed fears that additional financial and administrative pressures could ultimately fall on volunteers, players and families.

Football Queensland has maintained that the reforms were not designed to significantly increase participation costs, but acknowledged that greater consultation and clearer communication were needed before proceeding.

The governing body will now hold further discussions with the Football Queensland Congress to determine the next steps, with the future of the proposed fee structure unresolved.

Football Queensland's full statement reads:

“Football Queensland is aware of concerns raised by clubs regarding the proposed changes to the 2027 fee structure, and we want to reassure our football community that those concerns are being taken seriously. We recognise that further consultation and clearer communication were needed.

“As the custodians of football in Queensland, our responsibility is to make decisions in the best interests of the game as a whole. That means being prepared to listen, reflect and, as appropriate, adjust and pause our approach, which we will do as of today.

“For the last seven years, Football Queensland has worked hard to keep its fees unchanged, despite significant inflation and rising costs across the economy. This has been achieved through careful financial management, finding more efficient ways to operate and working closely with our clubs to deliver better outcomes for football.

We are proud of this record, and our commitment to keeping football affordable and accessible has not changed.

“The proposed 2027 Competition Access Fee model was developed following careful consideration, financial modelling and consultation. The review was also driven in part by changes to card surcharging rules, which require transaction costs to be managed differently. Our aim was to simplify the fee structure, reduce administration and create a more efficient way of managing football competitions across Queensland. 

“Importantly, the model was not designed to increase participation costs, and our modelling showed that it would not result in a material increase to the fees paid to Football Queensland by participants.

“We remain confident in the objectives behind the proposed changes. However, we also recognise that this is a significant change to the way fees are structured and collected, and that many clubs and families have genuine concerns about how the changes may affect their costs and financial responsibilities. We understand those concerns, which is why we are pausing to address them properly.

“Football in Queensland relies heavily on the dedication of volunteers who already give an enormous amount of their time to running our clubs. The last thing we want is to introduce changes that create unnecessary confusion, additional work or concern about affordability.

“The Football Queensland Board will meet with the Football Queensland Congress over the coming days, and will continue to work with stakeholders as we have over the course of this week on a way forward. We will provide a further update to all clubs early next week.

“In the meantime, we want to reassure our football community that the same principles that have guided FQ’s decisions over the past seven years will guide us now: responsible financial management, genuine engagement with our clubs, and a commitment to keeping football affordable and accessible for Queenslanders.

“Our focus is, and always will be, on doing what is right for football across Queensland.”