The first match on the Sunshine Coast was between Palmwoods and Buderim on Saturday 31 July 1920. The following year (1921), a North Coast representative team played a Brisbane Division 2 representative side at the Brisbane Cricket Ground as part of the Country Carnival. While Brisbane won (7-2), The Telegraph noted the North Coast’s first match was a “exceedingly creditable performance.” Brisbane sports historian, Mark Pringle, notes “Many of the North Coast players were from a dairying background so after the morning milking had to rush to the nearest railway station to get to Brisbane for the game, and leave straight after the game to get home, hopefully in time for the evening milking.”

In the early 1930s, local competition continued to run, with new clubs such as The Glasshouse Mountains forming. However, by 1935, there is no evidence from newspapers of the time that the North Coast Football Association and its competition still existed.

In 1968, after more than 30 years, football returned to the Sunshine Coast. The North Coast Soccer Association (NCSA) was formed and a competition between four clubs began (Caloundra, Woombye, Maroochydore and Beerwah-Glasshouse United). Throughout the 70s another 8 clubs joined the NCSA. A representative team was also put together in 1977 to play FC Traisa (a visiting German Amateur Club).

During the 1980s and 90s, competition continued to thrive in the Sunshine Coast. Today, you can find the clubs playing in the zone on the Football Queensland Sunshine Coast website.

Please note, much of the information that appears in the men’s Sunshine Coast zone history is drawn from Mark Pringle’s work.

Find out more about the region below.