THE Oceania Cup will return to Alstonville next month, bringing hundreds of female footballers to the region for a weekend of competition and celebration.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Now in its 11th year, the tournament will be held over the October long weekend, October 4\u20135, at Geoff Watt Oval.<\/p>\n
Players aged 15 and older are eligible to take part.<\/p>\n
“Alstonville FC have been champions of female football, and we really try and support it any way we can,” event coordinator Christie Connelly said.<\/p>\n
“There are still no all-female tournaments anywhere else like this, which is how it all started.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
Local teams from across the Northern Rivers will compete alongside players from Brisbane and the Gold Coast, including athletes with premier league experience.<\/p>\n
The tournament’s main venue, Crawford Park, is unavailable this year due to ongoing upgrades ahead of next season.<\/p>\n
A new format will be introduced, with six teams contesting 11-a-side round-robin matches.<\/p>\n
The top two will play off in the final.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“The format is a little bit different this year,” Connelly said.<\/p>\n
“We’re expecting a lot of atmosphere and buzz with so much happening across three fields at Geoff Watt Oval.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
The Oceania Cup is supported by HCF, Northern NSW Football Association, Football Far North Coast and Collins Hume Accountants.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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 […]<\/p>\n