changes to capital football

[NicCarBel]

That would make to much common sense though...

Capital Football really shit the bucket on common sense recently. Except for when it comes to defending themselves and hiding under the rug, they've got the common sense capabilities when it comes to that aspect (see below in relation to outcomes after Gungahlin's folding)

In summary (And yes I know I'm repeating myself, but oh well)

• 10 team NPL for 2026 announced (Review announced mid-May. Exemptions announced July 30. Declaration of Leagues announced/formalised October 1)
  • All NPL clubs to either have a full youth program in pace
  • Removal of Riverina clubs (Yoogali from NPL, and Wagga from NPLY and not eligible for promotion to NPL) due to travel concerns for youth clubs from Canberra to the Riverina
  • Promotion of the top 3 clubs from 2nd Division (CPL) that are eligible (which ended up being the clubs in 1st, 2nd and 5th - of 8 clubs)
  • All remaining clubs to be sent down to what is currently the 3rd Division (CLO1), which is now the 2nd Division following the Review
  • 3rd placed ANU was listed initially as "Decided not to participate in NPL Men in 2026" rather than "Relegated from CPL Men to Capital League Opens Division 1" - this has since been updated to "Eligible for promotion based on performance, but did not to apply for a Juniors exemption in order to be able to participate in NPL Men in 2026"
  • 4th placed Canberra Juventus were not granted an exemption, despite beginning to implement an full youth program from next season (with the criteria pointing towards having these programs completed and running for the 2027 season), as 'The Board expressed concern over the feasibility of establishing a full junior pathway within a 12-month timeframe.'
  • 6th and 8th placed White Eagles and West Canberra Wanderers were granted exemptions, as White Eagles already had a partial program set up ('subject to quarterly reporting on the club’s progress against key deliverables. The exemption will not be extended beyond 2026, and eligibility for NPL Men in 2027 is contingent on establishing Division 1 junior teams or NPL Boys promotion'), and West Canberra already has a full program set up.
  • 7th placed Wagga City were not invited on the mens side, but Capital Football backflipped on removing the youth teams from NPL, contradicting the original reason to remove Yoogali and Wagga from the senior pyramid due to concerns over travel for youth sides - as they are now subjecting the youth sides to travel.
    • Yoogali, West Canberra and Wagga City initially planned to form a partnership in the youth pyramid, which would ideally allow at least Yoogali to have remained in the NPL from 2026 - according to Capital Football - "the submission did not meet the clearly communicated requirements. It lacked critical elements such as formalised agreements, a defined governance structure, and a detailed operational plan. Capital Football had invited the club to submit a formal proposal to the Board, specifically addressing how it intended to meet the 2026 competition requirements and justify its continued inclusion in ACT-managed competitions. This included a clear expectation to demonstrate how a compliant youth development pathway would be established and delivered within Capital Football’s competition frameworks. However, no such formal proposal was received." (probably because only a month was given to develop this)
  • Gungahlin United were also noted as required to respond to existing issues already raised by CF separately as part of an ongoing compliance requirement.
• Then, Gungahlin United folded after the declaration of leagues, leaving the all 4 NPL leagues 1 club short. So, naturally:
  • Capital Football decided to promote two clubs (Canberra Juventus and White Eagles) to replace the one club that had folded, and leave an 11 club NPLM for 2026 (also expanding the NPLB from the originally proposed 10, back to 12)
  • I reckon what’s happened, is they were gonna bring just White Eagles in (as the next eligible club on the ladder after the exemptions were announced) , but Juventus (rightfully) made a case that they’ve done everything Capitfail Football doubted they could do in 12 months, in the space of 2, and essentially they were forced to add both. There's a reason that White Eagles had a post announcing their inclusion with a statement from the committee ready to go within minutes, and Juventus only have put something together this morning.
  • And then, because that meant the senior comp was bigger than the junior comp (and the review made it clear the junior comp needed a long season to aid development), they expanded that to 12 instead of 10 as well
  • Then they can’t include ANU or Wagga, because it would make it very obvious that this whole process was a Yoogali extermination project from the get go - as ANU doesn't have a junior set up in Canberra (so including them means they could have included Yoogali), and whilst Wagga does have the youth program, they're a Riverina club (so, again - including them means they could have included Yoogali).
  • And West Canberra they’d get laughed at for including them over all the others that have missed out

So, it's become very apparent that the primary objective of the initial NPL Review and re-structure was a Yoogali extermination project.

 

[Common Sense]

So, it's become very apparent that the primary objective of the initial NPL Review and re-structure was a Yoogali extermination project.

If that's what you want to take from it.

 

[NicCarBel]

If that's what you want to take from it.

I think that's what a lot of people are taking from it - It's the only thing that stands from the original review.

 

[NicCarBel]

Got bored today - am making a spreadsheet/database for Capital Football specifically (using existing tables, as well as socceraust, which has had a lot of input from Russ Gibbs) of all the club history here. So club names, what league/divisions exists, etc.

Between 2025 and 2003, we've had 50 clubs compete in at least one season of men's football across any division. Of those 50, we still have 29 competing across the men's pyramid in 2026 (assuming no one else drops out).

 

[NicCarBel]

 

[HappyGuus]

Gungahlin United spending revealed, as new member meeting date announced​

How does a seemingly strong soccer club of over 2000 players find itself more than half a million dollars in debt?

It's the question that has been bouncing around Canberra's soccer community since Gungahlin United announced it was forced to fold, blaming alleged "mismanagement".
But The Canberra Times can reveal more details about some of the costs the club had in the years leading up to its collapse, which could help shed some light, as Gungahlin United announced on Friday a new members meeting to discuss winding up operations.

Documents seen by this masthead claim the highest-paid player in the club's NPL men's championship-winning season back in 2019 was earning an estimated $1400 a month, and the club spent over $172,000 on "NPL expenses" in that year.
With a healthy annual revenue at the time from registrations worth nearly $400,000, it suggests the club was in a strong financial position despite the debts it had inherited from 2017-18 following the fraud by former president, Aaron David Alexander.
Furthermore, some club officials were of the belief Gungahlin United was on track to pay off what was owed to the ACT government for unpaid ground hire fees by 2026. As of last month the club still owed over $180,000.
Gungahlin United's new executive announced on Friday that a general meeting had been arranged with a revised date - November 25 at the Hellenic Club in Woden at 6.30pm.
Members will seek to pass a special resolution: "That Gungahlin United Football Club Inc. be wound up voluntarily in accordance with the Associations Incorporations Act 1991 (ACT)."
Pre-registration is required for the members-only meeting after the original annual general meeting scheduled for November 7 at Eastlake Gungahlin was cancelled.
The Canberra Times discovered that the Eastlake Club is also believed to be owed money by Gungahlin United, with a total of $7325 unpaid from two presentation functions earlier this month.

Gungahlin United won the 2019 NPL men's first grade grand final, inset, the 2020 AGM minutes. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong
On Wednesday, the new executive informed members it had commenced the appointment of an administrator and was aiming to refund players for deposits already paid for upcoming competitions, working with Capital Football on a "fair solution".
However, the club also said the external administrator will be tasked with taking control of finances and records, and would identify all debts and creditors. It would then explain the next steps and timeline directly to members, and manage any legal process that may follow.
As Gungahlin United confronts its bitter end, there remains a mountain of questions that are unanswered, but the biggest is how the incredible debt exceeding $550,000 was even possible.
The club's new executive, led by interim president Michael Rose, has understandably had their hands full after last Monday's bombshell statement, but has seemingly tried to keep its members more informed in the past week.
There has been no further comment from Capital Football since last week, when the sport's governing body in the region announced a complete shake-up of its NPL competitions as a result of Gungahlin United's demise.

How GUFC landed in debt​

Gungahlin United pointed to "poor financial oversight" at the club and inadequate "governance controls", as well as NPL overspending, as reasons for the club's significant debt.
When former club president Neil Harlock was contacted in early September, he said the club's finances were "stable".
"Like any other community club there's always going to be potential challenges, but we're stable," Harlock said.
As first reported by The Canberra Times last month Gungahlin United had over $180,000 in unpaid ground hire fees owed to the ACT government, and it was not meeting payment plan obligations.
Gungahlin United's executive committee for years had been dealing with the fallout of its former president, Aaron David Alexander, stealing from the non-profit organisation between 2017-18, which led to financial hardship for the club with inherited debts, including to the ACT government.
But people involved in committee meetings in the years after Alexander departed were led to believe that, despite that inherited debt, the club was on track to pay it off by 2026.
After Alexander left, a governance expert was also hired to strengthen the club's constitution.
Harlock and other executives were trusted to steadily take the club into a better and stronger direction.
So regardless of its previous financial hurdles, Gungahlin United always maintained its high expectations to compete hard for NPL success and invested heavily to achieve that goal.

Gungahlin United is set to wind up operations. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong

NPL spending revealed​

According to Gungahlin United's annual general meeting minutes seen by The Canberra Times for the year ending December 31, 2020, the club spent more than $172,000 on "NPL expenses" in 2019.
Another document obtained claimed that in 2019 the highest paid NPL men's player was earning an estimated $1400 a month.
It's understood coaching costs during that same period included payment of up to $20,000 per season for one coach.
Six years later those numbers could have jumped higher.
Still, the club boasted a healthy annual revenue at the time from registrations worth nearly $400,000, suggesting the club was in a strong financial position moving forward.

Gungahlin United AGM minutes detailing income and expenditure for 2019-20. Picture supplied

• Note: The difference between Capital Football fees year on year is believed to have occurred due to a nationwide change in Football Australia's registration system to streamline the collection and disbursement of registration fees.

What's unfolded recently​

During the past five or so years, speculation and rumour in Canberra soccer circles have continued to haunt Gungahlin United over its debt and NPL budget.
Among the community the club developed a reputation for not paying its NPL players on time or the correct amount, and this season the issue escalated when NPL squad members went public about allegedly not being paid what was promised in contracts. There are players and coaches who are understood to still be owed money.
Speculation is also continuing among the soccer community that Gungahlin United owes money to kit providers, venues and high-performance support staff for unpaid goods and services.
The gossip inevitably led some at the club to ask questions in recent years, but several Gungahlin United members confirmed those questions were repeatedly met with assurances that everything was fine, and there was nothing to worry about.
As recently as 2023, Gungahlin United remained ambitious as one of the biggest and fastest growing clubs in Canberra, and attempted to land a spot in the newly-launched national second tier, the Australian Championship, which would have put the club on a national stage, but likely incurred more NPL program costs.
Two years ago Gungahlin United met with Football Australia aiming to join the competition a level below the A-League, even though it was the same year Capital Football again threatened to impose sanctions on the club over its unpaid fees.
With prospective second division clubs needing to meet strict criteria and provide detailed proposal submissions, Gungahlin United did not advance to the final selection phases, with Football Australia citing financial reasons.
Eventually, Canberra Croatia was the only ACT club to seal a place in the competition after being crowned Capital Football NPL league champions.
It is understood that in the past five years the amount of people on the executive committee has also shrunk, with departing members not all replaced.
This may be what Gungahlin United was referring to in its statement almost a fortnight ago that claimed the club had "operated without the necessary checks and balances to ensure financial and operational accountability."

'Crazy' NPL spending​

The spending by clubs in the semi-professional NPL first-grade men's competition and the lack of regulation surrounding player payments are a hot topic in Canberra soccer.
"It's gone a bit crazy over the last couple of years," a Gungahlin United coach said.
"The top end [first grade player payment in Canberra clubs] I've heard of was upwards of $1200-$1300 per week for a player, and I think the average is about $300 or $500. A high-paid player in my opinion is $750."
There is currently no salary cap, and many clubs play first grade players on a per match basis, with fierce competition between teams to assemble the strongest sides, which has driven up the amount players can expect to be paid.
Capital Football has moved to try and regulate this area with its NPL review report recommendations released in May. Introducing a salary cap was considered by the review but it was deemed too difficult for Capital Football to monitor and enforce.
Instead, the latest direction is that from 2026 new competitions regulations require a player expense agreement for any player paid up to $150 per match.
A player contract will also be needed for those paid $150 or more per match or more than $5000 in a season in total payments (includes signing bonus, third party payments), with all paperwork to be submitted to Capital Football by November 30 this year.
Capital Football will also limit the maximum number of players (five) and coaches (one) that can move from one club to another each season, with more details to be confirmed when the revised competition regulations are released on November 30.

Gungahlin United spending revealed, as new member meeting date announced

How did the club end up more than $550k in debt?

www.canberratimes.com.au

 

[NicCarBel]

Gungahlin United spending revealed, as new member meeting date announced​

How does a seemingly strong soccer club of over 2000 players find itself more than half a million dollars in debt?

It's the question that has been bouncing around Canberra's soccer community since Gungahlin United announced it was forced to fold, blaming alleged "mismanagement".
But The Canberra Times can reveal more details about some of the costs the club had in the years leading up to its collapse, which could help shed some light, as Gungahlin United announced on Friday a new members meeting to discuss winding up operations.

Documents seen by this masthead claim the highest-paid player in the club's NPL men's championship-winning season back in 2019 was earning an estimated $1400 a month, and the club spent over $172,000 on "NPL expenses" in that year.
With a healthy annual revenue at the time from registrations worth nearly $400,000, it suggests the club was in a strong financial position despite the debts it had inherited from 2017-18 following the fraud by former president, Aaron David Alexander.
Furthermore, some club officials were of the belief Gungahlin United was on track to pay off what was owed to the ACT government for unpaid ground hire fees by 2026. As of last month the club still owed over $180,000.
Gungahlin United's new executive announced on Friday that a general meeting had been arranged with a revised date - November 25 at the Hellenic Club in Woden at 6.30pm.
Members will seek to pass a special resolution: "That Gungahlin United Football Club Inc. be wound up voluntarily in accordance with the Associations Incorporations Act 1991 (ACT)."
Pre-registration is required for the members-only meeting after the original annual general meeting scheduled for November 7 at Eastlake Gungahlin was cancelled.
The Canberra Times discovered that the Eastlake Club is also believed to be owed money by Gungahlin United, with a total of $7325 unpaid from two presentation functions earlier this month.

Gungahlin United won the 2019 NPL men's first grade grand final, inset, the 2020 AGM minutes. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong
On Wednesday, the new executive informed members it had commenced the appointment of an administrator and was aiming to refund players for deposits already paid for upcoming competitions, working with Capital Football on a "fair solution".
However, the club also said the external administrator will be tasked with taking control of finances and records, and would identify all debts and creditors. It would then explain the next steps and timeline directly to members, and manage any legal process that may follow.
As Gungahlin United confronts its bitter end, there remains a mountain of questions that are unanswered, but the biggest is how the incredible debt exceeding $550,000 was even possible.
The club's new executive, led by interim president Michael Rose, has understandably had their hands full after last Monday's bombshell statement, but has seemingly tried to keep its members more informed in the past week.
There has been no further comment from Capital Football since last week, when the sport's governing body in the region announced a complete shake-up of its NPL competitions as a result of Gungahlin United's demise.

How GUFC landed in debt​

Gungahlin United pointed to "poor financial oversight" at the club and inadequate "governance controls", as well as NPL overspending, as reasons for the club's significant debt.
When former club president Neil Harlock was contacted in early September, he said the club's finances were "stable".
"Like any other community club there's always going to be potential challenges, but we're stable," Harlock said.
As first reported by The Canberra Times last month Gungahlin United had over $180,000 in unpaid ground hire fees owed to the ACT government, and it was not meeting payment plan obligations.
Gungahlin United's executive committee for years had been dealing with the fallout of its former president, Aaron David Alexander, stealing from the non-profit organisation between 2017-18, which led to financial hardship for the club with inherited debts, including to the ACT government.
But people involved in committee meetings in the years after Alexander departed were led to believe that, despite that inherited debt, the club was on track to pay it off by 2026.
After Alexander left, a governance expert was also hired to strengthen the club's constitution.
Harlock and other executives were trusted to steadily take the club into a better and stronger direction.
So regardless of its previous financial hurdles, Gungahlin United always maintained its high expectations to compete hard for NPL success and invested heavily to achieve that goal.

Gungahlin United is set to wind up operations. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong

NPL spending revealed​

According to Gungahlin United's annual general meeting minutes seen by The Canberra Times for the year ending December 31, 2020, the club spent more than $172,000 on "NPL expenses" in 2019.
Another document obtained claimed that in 2019 the highest paid NPL men's player was earning an estimated $1400 a month.
It's understood coaching costs during that same period included payment of up to $20,000 per season for one coach.
Six years later those numbers could have jumped higher.
Still, the club boasted a healthy annual revenue at the time from registrations worth nearly $400,000, suggesting the club was in a strong financial position moving forward.

Gungahlin United AGM minutes detailing income and expenditure for 2019-20. Picture supplied

• Note: The difference between Capital Football fees year on year is believed to have occurred due to a nationwide change in Football Australia's registration system to streamline the collection and disbursement of registration fees.

What's unfolded recently​

During the past five or so years, speculation and rumour in Canberra soccer circles have continued to haunt Gungahlin United over its debt and NPL budget.
Among the community the club developed a reputation for not paying its NPL players on time or the correct amount, and this season the issue escalated when NPL squad members went public about allegedly not being paid what was promised in contracts. There are players and coaches who are understood to still be owed money.
Speculation is also continuing among the soccer community that Gungahlin United owes money to kit providers, venues and high-performance support staff for unpaid goods and services.
The gossip inevitably led some at the club to ask questions in recent years, but several Gungahlin United members confirmed those questions were repeatedly met with assurances that everything was fine, and there was nothing to worry about.
As recently as 2023, Gungahlin United remained ambitious as one of the biggest and fastest growing clubs in Canberra, and attempted to land a spot in the newly-launched national second tier, the Australian Championship, which would have put the club on a national stage, but likely incurred more NPL program costs.
Two years ago Gungahlin United met with Football Australia aiming to join the competition a level below the A-League, even though it was the same year Capital Football again threatened to impose sanctions on the club over its unpaid fees.
With prospective second division clubs needing to meet strict criteria and provide detailed proposal submissions, Gungahlin United did not advance to the final selection phases, with Football Australia citing financial reasons.
Eventually, Canberra Croatia was the only ACT club to seal a place in the competition after being crowned Capital Football NPL league champions.
It is understood that in the past five years the amount of people on the executive committee has also shrunk, with departing members not all replaced.
This may be what Gungahlin United was referring to in its statement almost a fortnight ago that claimed the club had "operated without the necessary checks and balances to ensure financial and operational accountability."

'Crazy' NPL spending​

The spending by clubs in the semi-professional NPL first-grade men's competition and the lack of regulation surrounding player payments are a hot topic in Canberra soccer.
"It's gone a bit crazy over the last couple of years," a Gungahlin United coach said.
"The top end [first grade player payment in Canberra clubs] I've heard of was upwards of $1200-$1300 per week for a player, and I think the average is about $300 or $500. A high-paid player in my opinion is $750."
There is currently no salary cap, and many clubs play first grade players on a per match basis, with fierce competition between teams to assemble the strongest sides, which has driven up the amount players can expect to be paid.
Capital Football has moved to try and regulate this area with its NPL review report recommendations released in May. Introducing a salary cap was considered by the review but it was deemed too difficult for Capital Football to monitor and enforce.
Instead, the latest direction is that from 2026 new competitions regulations require a player expense agreement for any player paid up to $150 per match.
A player contract will also be needed for those paid $150 or more per match or more than $5000 in a season in total payments (includes signing bonus, third party payments), with all paperwork to be submitted to Capital Football by November 30 this year.
Capital Football will also limit the maximum number of players (five) and coaches (one) that can move from one club to another each season, with more details to be confirmed when the revised competition regulations are released on November 30.

Gungahlin United spending revealed, as new member meeting date announced

How did the club end up more than $550k in debt?

www.canberratimes.com.au

I find it actually a bit funny that Canberra Times doesn't know the player expenditure payments (the $150 thing at the end of the article) isn't going ahead.

And also that they don't know the difference of a foundation club in the Championship (what Gungahlin was aiming for), and Croatia qualifying for the first modified edition of the Championship.

But then again, Canberra Times seems to only report on local football when it's negative.

 

[Hugh_Mungus]

So why are they still relegating Yoogali SC?
They want to be in the NPL mens but are continuing to be denied by CF.

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

The ongoing shitshow that is capital football..

 

[NicCarBel]

So why are they still relegating Yoogali SC?
They want to be in the NPL mens but are continuing to be denied by CF.
View attachment 4047

When/where was that announced?? I mean - I'm still blocked on the NPL page (but not the Capital Football page - go figure), so possibly it's there?

What an absolute joke. Especially the last line. They should have been using this season to provide time for teams to adapt to Capital Football's initial shit decisions, and the rebalancing is only because of their shit decisions in the first place. Again, I go back to something I said earlier - the only thing that has remained in place from the initial NPL Review doc, is that Yoogali and Wagga have been removed from senior competitions, so it's very clear between the lines here that this was the major purpose of it - given that CF have backed down/modified absolutely everything except for that.

 

[Hugh_Mungus]

When/where was that announced?? I mean - I'm still blocked on the NPL page (but not the Capital Football page - go figure), so possibly it's there?

What an absolute joke. Especially the last line. They should have been using this season to provide time for teams to adapt to Capital Football's initial shit decisions, and the rebalancing is only because of their shit decisions in the first place. Again, I go back to something I said earlier - the only thing that has remained in place from the initial NPL Review doc, is that Yoogali and Wagga have been removed from senior competitions, so it's very clear between the lines here that this was the major purpose of it - given that CF have backed down/modified absolutely everything except for that.

It was circulated to clubs directly, not on any public facing page/site.

 

[NicCarBel]

It was circulated to clubs directly, not on any public facing page/site.

Guess they wanted to keep the rest of the shit show under wraps

 

[HappyGuus]

So why are they still relegating Yoogali SC?
They want to be in the NPL mens but are continuing to be denied by CF.
View attachment 4047

Closed shop Canberra!
They're just making it up as they go along.

 

[NicCarBel]

Closed shop Canberra!
They're just making it up as they go along.

How this board doesn’t get a vote of no confidence at the next AGM, I’m not sure. Too bad - based off this year - it’s not until midway through 2026. Who knows what further damage they’ll do until then

 

[HappyGuus]

 

[Dinamo]

They should bring back Yoogali in place of Gungahlin.

 

[NicCarBel]

Wow the actual fuck

They should bring back Yoogali in place of Gungahlin.

They should have never been let out in the first place..

Either just make a full 14 team NPL (because West Canberra are hopeless, and Gungahlin don't exist), or if they went with their original plan without the geographic discrimination - Juventus should have been accepted as the only extra team in that last run of 'how do we fix this Gungahlin mess'

 

[NicCarBel]

Wow the actual fuck

They should have never been let out in the first place..

Either just make a full 14 team NPL (because West Canberra are hopeless, and Gungahlin don't exist), or if they went with their original plan without the geographic discrimination - Juventus should have been accepted as the only extra team in that last run of 'how do we fix this Gungahlin mess'

oh, and by that - I also mean no Brindabella in NPL - I forget I have to make that very very clear.

 

[grazorblade]

 

[NicCarBel]

What a shame the Wagga clubs have become like Canberra then (I'm only making the assumption the Wagga clubs voted no, as there are already 4 Griffith clubs in the comp - I'm counting Leeton as Griffith.)

From what I understand of what is now of the Regional NSW Branch associations, abolishing them is bad, bad news for things like this. Riverina should be running a Riverina comp (open to all clubs in the Branch - especially in the wake of the NPL Canberra debacle), not Wagga on it's own.