The National Premier League Queensland (NPL Queensland or NPL QLD) is the top tier state-level soccer competition in the Australian state of Queensland. The conference, run by Football Queensland, is a sub division of the National Premier Leagues (NPL). The inaugural season began in March 2013 and consisted of 12 teams. Each team will be expected to field a senior team, five junior men's teams from under-12 to under-20 starting in 2013 and women's junior teams in under-13, under-15, and under-17 starting in 2014.
Each club has been granted a 5-year licence and there is no promotion or relegation from the league during this period. It was announced on 16 December 2016 that there would be promotion and relegation to the Football Queensland Premier League (FQPL) as of the 2018 season and that the league would be expanded to 14 teams. This announcement came with the addition of the Football Queensland Premier League, a new tier immediately below the National Premier League.
Peninsula Power and Eastern Suburbs were the first two teams promoted to the NPL from the FQPL for the 2019 season. No teams were relegated in 2018.
History The league directly replaced the existing Queensland State League, as part of the wider introduction of the National Premier Leagues into several states in 2013.
The league commenced with 12 teams in its inaugural 2013 season. This was increased to 14 teams in the 2014 season with the inclusion of Harimau Muda A, Southwestern Queensland and the replacement of the QAS team with the Brisbane Roar National Youth League side. However, the teams were controversially reduced to 13 mid-season, due to CQFC Energy's failure to meet licensing conditions.
Format The season consists of a regular season in which all clubs play each other twice, home and away. At the conclusion of the regular season the top of the table club progresses onto the NPL National Finals Series to play against the champions from other NPL subdivisions. Also at the conclusion of the regular season the top four clubs play a local finals series. The local finals series consists of two semi-finals and a final. In the local finals series the top of the ladder club plays the fourth place and second place plays third. The winner of these local semi finals play each other in the NPL Qld Grand Final.
Clubs The following 12 clubs competed in the 2026 NPL Queensland season.
Team LGA Stadium Founded Joined Head coach Brisbane City Brisbane Spencer Park 1952 2013 Peter Gaffney Brisbane Roar Youth Logan Underwood Park 2008 2014 Karl Dodd Eastern Suburbs Brisbane Heath Park 1922 2019 Redha Alrikabi Gold Coast Knights Gold Coast Croatian Sports Centre 1978 2019 Scott McDonald Gold Coast United Gold Coast Coplick Sports Complex 2017 2018 Craig Midgley Lions FC Brisbane Lions Stadium 1957 2018 Darren Sime Magic United Gold Coast Birmingham Road Park20062026 Brett Budewee Moreton City Excelsior Moreton Bay Wolter Park 2012 2013 Cameron Millar Olympic FC Brisbane Goodwin Park 1967 2013 Chris GrossmanPeninsula PowerMoreton BayA.J. Kelly Park 2000 2019 Aaron PhilpRochedale RoversLoganUnderwood Park19732023 Wynnum WolvesBrisbaneCarmichael Park19212024 Graham Harvey
Former clubs Team City Stadium Founded Joined Departed Brisbane Strikers Brisbane Perry Park 1994 2013 2021Cairns FC (formerly Far North Qld Heat)CairnsBarlow Park200920132018 Capalaba FC Redlands John Frederick Park 1972 2020 2022 Central Queensland Energy Rockhampton Rugby Park 2012 2013 2014 Harimau Muda A Malaysia Home of opposition team 2014 2014 2014 Logan Lightning Logan Cornubia Park 2011 2021 2022 Magpies Crusaders United Mackay Sologinkin Oval 2017 2018 2021Northern Fury FCTownsvilleTownsville Sports Reserve / Brolga Park200820132018 Queensland Academy of Sport Brisbane Meakin Park 1991 2013 2013Redlands UnitedRedlandsCompass Grounds1918 20132024St George WillawongBrisbaneSt George's Park201020252025 South West Queensland Thunder Toowoomba Clive Berghofer Stadium 2012 2014 2019 Sunshine Coast Fire Sunshine Coast Kawana Western Fields 2007 2013 2019 Sunshine Coast Wanderers Sunshine Coast Ballinger Park 2017 2020 2025
Honours
Year Premiers Champions NPL finals series representation 2013 Olympic FC Olympic FC Olympic FC – Semi Finalist 2014 Palm Beach Sharks Palm Beach Sharks Palm Beach Sharks – Semi Finalist 2015 Moreton Bay United Moreton Bay United Moreton Bay United – Semi Finalist 2016 Brisbane Strikers Redlands United FC Brisbane Strikers – Semi Finalist 2017 Brisbane Strikers Western Pride Brisbane Strikers – Runners Up 2018 Lions FC Lions FC Lions FC – Runners Up 2019 Lions FC Gold Coast Knights Lions FC – Runners Up 2020 Peninsula Power Lions FC Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. 2021 Peninsula Power Lions FC 2022 Lions FC Gold Coast Knights Not Held2023Gold Coast KnightsGold Coast Knights2024Gold Coast KnightsLions FC Year Premiers Champions Australian Championship representation 2025 Moreton City Excelsior Lions FC Moreton City Excelsior – Quarter-finals 2026 Lions FC Lions FC Lions FC
See also National Premier Leagues Football Queensland Premier League Football Queensland Premier League – Metro Football Queensland Premier League – South Coast Brisbane Premier League (Defunct)
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