Capital Football Expands NPL Teams To Help GUFC Players

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Image Credit: Capital Football

Capital Football last week announced they have begun working with local football clubs to create openings for former Gungahlin United Football Club players by encouraging longer trial periods and expanding the NPL teams.

To assist former GUFC players, the NPL Mens will increase from 10 to 11 teams, with Canberra Juventus and White Eagles invited to join, and the NPL Boys will increase from 10 to 12 teams, with Monaro Panthers, Majura, and West Canberra Wanderers invited.

The NPL Girls will remain as eight teams with Bella Monaro invited to join the competition, while the NPL Women will continue with the six teams into the next season.

Capital Football made clear in a statement their actions were to minimise the impact of Gungahlin United’s decision to “commence winding up” the club, affecting club participants and stakeholders, including the 1,300 Mini-Roos and Junior League players previously registered.

“Our immediate priority is to support displaced players, particularly juniors, by helping them find new clubs,” they said.

“In addition, CF is working to create as many playing opportunities as possible in the Gungahlin region for affected National Premier League players following GUFC’s announcement on 18 October.”

Several clubs who have been invited to join the NPL have accepted the promotion, with Expressions of Interest and club statements commenting on the news, including other clubs celebrating the expansion of the game and commiserations of GUFC’s closure.

Gungahlin United Football Club has remained silent about Capital Football’s move to aid their former players, as well as any current updates.

Capital Football has stated that former GUFC players who have previous commitments from other clubs will not be affected by the changes, and any opportunities available should remain intact.

The football body has also committed to working with all the football clubs in the state and has encouraged all NPL clubs to extend their trial periods and to continue to support the sport, local community, and each other.

A Boost To The National Premier League in the ACT

The events of last week and the subsequent assistance of Capital Football have helped strengthen the NPL in the ACT for next year’s season.

With new clubs being added to the league, new opportunities are in the cards for both clubs and their local communities, including possible sponsorships and partnerships in the future.

This also means the development and support of youth sports and new fan engagement initiatives for the NPL next year to grow into the future.

The news and movement of the sporting community in the state have also shown the resilience and cooperation of football clubs in Australia, where if the same were to happen to any club in other larger states, the redistribution of players could be done.

However, of the estimated 2,000 players which made up Gungahlin United FC players, around 700 are not accounted for, as well as coaches, volunteers and members of the club’s administration.

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FCA to Host Exclusive Two-Part Goalscoring Workshop Series with Dr Ron Smith

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One of Australian football’s most respected coaching minds shares decades of research ahead of the FIFA Men’s World Cup.

Football Coaches Australia (FCA) has announced an exclusive two-part coach education series featuring renowned coach educator and football analyst Dr Ron Smith, offering coaches a rare opportunity to explore the evolving science of goalscoring through the lens of one of Australia’s most influential football thinkers.

The online workshops, scheduled for June 1 and June 8, will examine the historical development, modern trends and future direction of goalscoring in football, drawing on extensive research that formed the foundation of Dr Smith’s doctoral studies.

For FCA, the sessions represent the culmination of more than a year of planning and provide a timely opportunity for coaches to deepen their understanding of attacking play ahead of the FIFA Men’s World Cup.

“Ron’s work on goalscoring has been years in the making and continues to evolve,” FCA President Ian Greener said.

“We felt there was no better time to bring this knowledge to the coaching community than in the lead-up to the World Cup, when coaches around the world will be analysing the game’s best teams and players.”

Across the two sessions, Dr Smith will present findings from his extensive research into goalscoring patterns and trends, examining how the game has changed over time and what coaches can learn from football’s biggest tournaments.

Topics covered throughout the series will include:

  • Historical analysis of goalscoring trends
  • How goalscoring has evolved in the modern game
  • Key patterns identified through Dr Smith’s research
  • Scoring trends across the last six FIFA Men’s World Cups
  • Comparisons between men’s and women’s World Cup tournaments
  • The role of pressing, transition moments and direct play in creating goals
  • Practical coaching implications for improving attacking performance

The two-part structure has been intentionally designed to build upon itself. Session One will focus on the evidence, data and research underpinning Dr Smith’s findings, while Session Two will explore the practical applications and coaching interventions that can emerge from that analysis.

Football Australia has accredited both workshops with one Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hour each, allowing coaches to earn two CPD hours by attending both sessions.

Dr Smith’s coaching and coach education credentials span decades. He has worked extensively with Football Australia, the Australian Institute of Sport and the Socceroos, while also holding coaching roles internationally in Iceland and Malaysia, as well as within the A-League.

His contributions to coach development have helped shape generations of Australian coaches, making this series a valuable opportunity for coaches across all levels of the game.

Event Details

History and Future of Goalscoring – Session One
Date: Monday, June 1, 2026
Time: 7:30pm AEST
Format: Online
CPD: 1 Football Australia-accredited CPD hour

Following the completion of the FIFA Men’s World Cup, FCA is also planning a special panel discussion featuring leading Australian and international coaching voices to analyse the key tactical developments, trends and lessons emerging from the tournament.

Further details regarding that event are expected to be released later this year.

FCA members can attend the workshops free of charge, while guest registrations are available through Eventbrite.

Football NSW calls on clubs to Make It Red for Heart Health Round

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Football NSW is calling on clubs and associations across the state to register for the 2026 Make It Red campaign, joining a national awareness movement aimed at reducing heart-related deaths on sporting grounds ahead of Heart Health Round on the weekend of June 5 to 7.

The campaign, developed by the Heartbeat of Football Foundation, asks sporting clubs to wear red, raise funds and build awareness around heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest, which is the leading single cause of disease burden and death in Australia for both men and women, and one that health authorities say is largely preventable through modifiable risk factors.

The call to action comes as the Foundation continues its work to map and register Automated External Defibrillators across NSW sporting facilities, a project that has already engaged twelve football associations and fed data into both the NSW Ambulance GoodSAM registry and NSW Health’s public AED map. The availability of a functioning, registered AED on site is among the most significant determinants of survival following sudden cardiac arrest, with survival rates declining sharply for every minute without defibrillation.

Football NSW is encouraging clubs to engage with the campaign across three areas. Clubs can register for the Make It Red campaign to help fund research, education and prevention programs. Participants, particularly those aged over 35, are encouraged to seek a free heart health screening test from their local GP or enquire about hosting a Heartbeat of Football testing day. Clubs are also urged to ensure their grounds have active, accessible AEDs in place, with guidance available through Football NSW’s Rescue Ready Guide.

The Make It Red campaign runs from June 5 to July 12, with Heart Health Round taking place across the opening weekend. Clubs can register and access participation resources at makeitred.org.

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