After eight years in Inverell, the Joeys Mini World Cup will move on from its hometown this year, as Queensland’s Fraser Coast takes over as host.
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Organiser Heinrich Haussler, who announced the move on Tuesday, January 16 said the change came out of a desire to keep expanding the competition, which he felt couldn’t happen if it stayed in Inverell.
“We couldn’t see with the help that was given and the very small band of helpers and workers we had, to grow that much bigger anymore,” he said.
“It just needed a face change.”
He said eight years was a long time, and he felt volunteers grew tired of the same thing, year in, year out.
Planned for October 1-5 in the not-yet-constructed $52 million Fraser Coast Sports Precinct, Haussler said he expects around 75-100 teams just from the Fraser Coast area. He said there was 25 clubs within 45 minutes of the future facility.
“That’s really what growing the cup is all about,” he said.
He encouraged Inverell teams to continue participating in the tournament as it moves. This year, the German team and women’s competition will return, and the Australian National Defense Force Women’s team may attend.
“We would love Inverell teams to go up there and enjoy their football,” Haussler said.
The Fraser Coast will host the cup for up to three years before it moves back to NSW. Haussler said he wanted to expose the cup to different regions, and felt Morisset near Newcastle could be a future host.
“I would like one day to see the cup come back here for a year or two. But that can only be possible if we have the facilities and if we have people to embrace it,” Haussler said.
Following Tuesday’s announcement, Haussler thanked the sponsors who had supported the cup since day one, and the small band of dedicated local volunteers.
“Without them it would not have been possible,” he said.