Club kicking goals with its all-female Oceania Cup

THE Oceania Cup will return to Alstonville next month, bringing hundreds of female footballers to the region for a weekend of competition and celebration.

The annual all-female tournament is hosted by Alstonville FC and remains the only event of its kind in NSW, with a focus on both junior and senior players.

Now in its 11th year, the tournament will be held over the October long weekend, October 4–5, at Geoff Watt Oval.

Players aged 15 and older are eligible to take part.

“Alstonville FC have been champions of female football, and we really try and support it any way we can,” event coordinator Christie Connelly said.

“There are still no all-female tournaments anywhere else like this, which is how it all started.

“It’s been a very disappointing season for all age groups because of the wet weather, so the timing of it this year is fantastic.”

Local teams from across the Northern Rivers will compete alongside players from Brisbane and the Gold Coast, including athletes with premier league experience.

The tournament’s main venue, Crawford Park, is unavailable this year due to ongoing upgrades ahead of next season.

A new format will be introduced, with six teams contesting 11-a-side round-robin matches.

The top two will play off in the final.

Another 24 teams will compete in a six-a-side tournament, split into four pools of six, followed by quarter-finals and a grand final.

“The format is a little bit different this year,” Connelly said.

“We’re expecting a lot of atmosphere and buzz with so much happening across three fields at Geoff Watt Oval.

“We always get visiting teams wanting to come back each year and it looks like it’s going to be a fun weekend for the girls.”

The Oceania Cup is supported by HCF, Northern NSW Football Association, Football Far North Coast and Collins Hume Accountants.