Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre approved for construction

Theo Athans07/08/2024 6:05 am06/08/2024

Image credit: Queensland Government website

The Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre has been approved for construction in the suburb of Petrie, about 30km north of the Brisbane CBD, with new project rendered images of the building being released as well.

The goal for the state government is to build a mega indoor sporting precinct in preparation for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, with indoor Olympic sports like boxing, badminton and volleyball being the main attractions.

The centre located at the Mill Precinct in Petrie will have 12 multi-use courts that can be used for a range of sports including basketball, netball, futsal, badminton, gymnastics and many more.

According to the state government’s website, the centre will cost an estimated $205.5 million, to be split by the state and federal governments.

About 10,000 spectators will be able to watch events across 12 courts, spread across two sections of the building.

Importantly for business, the venue’s project validation report estimates that 178 full-time equivalent jobs would be directly supported by the facility’s construction. It’s a construction that will benefit the community as well as the struggling sports that will be able to use this top facility.

The procurement stage will now begin, with construction expected to take place from 2026 to 2028.

Mayor of the City of Moreton Bay, Peter Flannery spoke on the impact this new hybrid indoor sports centre will have on the local community.

“With almost 700,000 people living within 30 minutes of the centre, it will also have the potential to also support community events like concerts, festivals, art performances, school activities and more,” Mayor Peter Flannery said in a press conference.

“The Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre will provide long-lasting benefits to our city and create a legacy that all residents can be proud of for decades to come.”

For futsal this will be a very nice new location that can hold Queensland’s biggest tournaments and present as a place to further grow futsal participation, which is one of FQ’s main goals in their 2023-2026 Strategic Plan.

It’s another big investment that doesn’t directly affect football but will surely be of use as futsal continues to grow up to 30% in participation over the past 12 months.

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Victory unites with Roasting Warehouse in culture-led partnership

Patrick Irving16/04/2026 8:55 am16/04/2026

Image credit: Melbourne Victory

The Melbourne-based anf family-owned business will join the Victory family, uniting two institutions which represent the city’s culture and identity.

A partnership with local roots

As the newest partner of Melbourne Victory, Roasting Warehouse joins forces with a vital part of the city’s sporting landscape.

The club’s Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the partnership bears so much value to both parties.

“We are excited to collaborate with Roasting Warehouse, a community-oriented destination for high-quality coffee, proud of its foundations in Melbourne,” said Carnegie via official media release.

“Football and coffee sit at the epicentre of Melbourne’s culture. The two go hand-in-hand, consistently at the centre of the conversation that stirs Melburnians, which is no different to the conversation sport and Melbourne Victory stir in the State.”

Indeed, this is a partnership which combines the identity, passions and culture of an entire city, therefore giving it the foundations required for long-term, mutual success.

Representing the best of Melbourne

Both Victory and Roasting Warehouse are hugely successful in their respective industries. They are institutions with community-oriented philosphies, who pride themselves on craft and quality.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Melbourne Victory, a club that represents the heart, passion, and ambition of Melbourne,” revealed Roasting Warehouse Head of Brand, Alexander Paraskevopoulos.

“As a Melbourne-founded, family-run business, supporting a team that means so much to the local community feels very natural for us.”

Furthermore, through their high-quality blends, Roasting Warehouse will look to prepare Victory’s players and staff for high performances on the pitch as the seasons nears completion.

But this is about far more than just fueling athletes.

This is a partnership which embodies and unites two of Melbourne’s greatest strengths and cultural markers – a connection forged from the city’s very own DNA.

For more information about Roasting Warehouse, click here.

Marie-Louise Eta makes history as new Union Berlin head coach

Patrick Irving15/04/2026 6:05 am14/04/2026

Image credit: FC Union Berlin

In an historic appointment, Eta will take over as head coach of Union Berlin until the end of the season.

History in the making

Previously the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history with Union Berlin, Eta will now take the reigns of the men’s first team on an interim basis.

Currently, the club sit in 11th place in the Bundesliga table, but with only two wins so far in 2026, relegation appears an all-too-real prospect, and one which the club is desperate to avoid.

“Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure,” said Eta via official media release.

‘I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations.”

Eta will begin as Union’s new head coach with immediate effect, and will be in the dugout for the club’s matchup against Wolfsburg this weekend.

A step into an equal future

Eta’s appointment signals a major step towards a more level playing field in the football landscape.

Furthermore, Eta joins other coaches including Sabrinna Wittmann, Hannah Dingley and Corinne Diacre who, in recent years, have blazed a trail for female coaches to step into the men’s game.

Wittmann currently manages FC Ingolstadt in Germany’s third division, and was the first female head coach in Germany’s top three divisions.

In 2023, Dingley became caretaker manager of Forest Green Rovers, and thus the first woman to lead a men’s professional team in England.

Diacre, now head coach of France’s women’s national team, managed Ligue 2’s Clerment Foot between 2014 and 2017.

Final thoughts

The impact therefore, is that Eta’s appointment will show future generations of aspiring female coaches that men’s football is an equally viable and possible pathway as the women’s game.

The time is now to level the playing field.

And while it may be a short-term role, its effect on attitudes towards equality and fair opportunities in the game will hopefully resonate long after the season ends.