FQPL1 Season Preview: Wide Open?

James Lane

The 2026 FQPL1 season begins in less than a week, and it shapes as one of the most competitive in recent memory. With 12 clubs, two promotion spots, two relegation places, and a top-four finals series that adds extra intrigue, the margins between success and disappointment are razor-thin.

Last season showed just how tight this league can be, with both promotion and relegation being decided by goal difference and a three-way tie for the title. Now, with relegated NPL sides entering, ambitious promoted teams arriving, and several clubs retooling, the landscape has shifted again.

Let's cast an eye over the eleven other sides who will make up the division in 2026, in the order they finished in the league pyramid last season, before turning our eyes to the Snakes.

The Relegated NPL Sides: Immediate Threats

St George Willawong

Their NPL stay lasted only a year after a championship-winning promotion in 2024. However, it wasn't like they came straight back down without a fight, as four wins and seven draws left them just three points shy of survival. That narrow margin suggests they were competitive even in a difficult season.

Sunshine Coast Wanderers

This, however, was a very different story. Two wins, nine points, and 64 goals conceded tell the tale of a brutal season. Their NPL tenure dated back to 2020, so this league will be unfamiliar territory for them. The key question is whether they stabilise and regroup, or whether the struggles linger.

The Nearly-Promoted: Next Time Lucky?

Broadbeach United

Perhaps the unluckiest team in the league last year. A three-way tie on 43 points at the top saw Broadbeach only miss out on a fairytale promotion via goal difference. Their rise has been rapid, with back-to-back promotions in 2022 and 2023, before finishing a comfortable fifth in their first FQPL1 season, then improving to third. The trajectory is undeniable, and the logical continuation would see them playing in the NPL in 2027.

But there is one major change: the departure of coach Leighton Speechley-Price, the architect of much of that climb. His move to Caboolture could subtly reshape both clubs’ fortunes.

Brisbane Strikers

A heavyweight name still trying to escape the division. They finished 2025 on 42 points, just one shy of promotion, marking yet another near miss. Since their 2021 relegation - their first ever - they’ve remained stuck here. The pressure to finally go up is mounting year by year.

Last Season’s Mid-Table

Logan Lightning

Fifth place and 34 points sounds solid, but eight points off the playoffs shows the gap to the top tier. Back in FQPL1 after their 2022 NPL relegation, they look established but not yet threatening to return to the summit.

Redlands United

Redlands finished a disappointing sixth in a season where they would've been aiming aiming for an immediate NPL return. Expectations of a quick promotion back will remain.

Holland Park Hawks

Nine points clear of relegation in their first FQPL1 season after promotion was a success. Consolidation was the aim; progression may now be the target.

The Survivors: Circling the Drain?

Ipswich FC

A merger club still searching for identity and results. Bare survival again, but their defensive record - just 26 conceded in 22 matches - stands out. as a positive. The problem is clear: only 24 goals scored. If they find attacking output, they become much more dangerous.

Capalaba FC

Survived purely on goal difference, and have looked at real risk of relegation for mutliple years now. Surely at some point, their luck will run out.

The Promoted: Momentum or a Reality Check?

Robina City

Robina will surely arrive in the division high on confidence, as unbeaten FQPL2 champions. They cruised to the league title with 60 points, suffering just three draws while netting 87 goals and a staggering +69 differential. The question is whether that translates a tier higher. Some promoted teams ride momentum, while others hit a wall. They are one of the season’s biggest unknowns.

North Star

North Star finished in second place with a 15-3-4. That's strong, sure, but it feels their promotion is largely overshadowed by Robina's flashy arrival. Still, promotion will bring confidence, and such sides often bring confidence and cohesion that established teams underestimate.

Is Promotion on the Table for Caboolture?

Caboolture enter 2026 at a crossroads. Last season’s mid-table finish masked huge swings in form: a blistering 13-game run that would have won the league if sustained, followed by a total collapse that saw the club pick up one point in nine.

The response from the club has been decisive. Twelve new signings have arrived so far, the most recent of those being Ryan Abela, a fullback who impressed last campaign with Broadbeach United. Excitingly, many of the new signings boast NPL backgrounds, signalling a clear ambition. The defensive unit has been heavily reinforced, the midfield gains both experience and returning quality in Cameron Nairn, and the forward line adds Jack Waldock. The noticeable pipeline from Brisbane City adds an interesting subplot: whether coincidence or strategy, it brings proven NPL-level players into the squad.

Then comes the biggest change: the exciting appointment of Leighton Speechley-Price on a three-year deal, lured away from building one of the league’s fastest-rising projects at Broadbeach. A coach who has won titles and personal accolades. His arrival alone changes the tone around Caboolture.

Early Predictions

Every FQPL1 season produces surprises, but patterns from last year and the off-season moves give some early clues about how the race might unfold.

Promotion Favourites

As ever, the giant spectre of the Brisbane Strikers once again looms large. A club of their stature lingering in FQPL1 already feels unusual, and missing promotion by a single point last season only sharpens the urgency. They've been stuck in the division for several years now, desperate to avenge their first-ever relegation but so far unable to finish the job. History suggests teams in that position either break through or begin to stall, and the Strikers will be determined to ensure it’s the former. Anything less than a promotion push would feel like underachievement.

St George Willawong drop down from the NPL with the profile of a side too strong to linger long at this level. Yes, they were relegated, but being only three points from safety in a higher division suggests competitiveness rather than collapse, so they should be firmly in the mix for a quick return.

Broadbeach United remain a fascinating case. Their trajectory over the past few seasons has been meteoric, climbing from FQPL3 to the brink of the NPL in a short span. Missing promotion on goal difference is the kind of heartbreak that can either fuel another charge or leave emotional scars. The major unknown is the departure of coach Leighton Speechley-Price, the man who oversaw much of their rise. Without him, the question is whether the momentum continues or plateaus.

Playoff and Promotion Contenders

Caboolture SFC showed last year that at their best, this is a side capable of promotion-level football. A 13-game stretch that would have won the league if sustained is not a fluke; it’s potential. The issue was the collapse that followed. Now, with significant recruitment and a proven coach taking the helm, Caboolture are a club actively trying to raise their floor as well as their ceiling. If consistency improves even moderately, they can push into the top conversation.

Logan Lightning feel like a side searching for the next step. Solid enough to avoid trouble, but not yet close enough to truly threaten the top four. Their season may hinge on whether they can turn narrow margins into wins.

Redlands United still carry the mindset of a club expecting more from itself after a disappointing sixth-place finish. Teams with recent NPL experience often measure themselves against promotion, not survival. Motivation won’t be lacking.

Robina City are the great unknown. Their FQPL2 season was dominance by any metric: unbeaten, prolific in attack, and a huge goal difference. But the jump up has sobered such teams before. That said, if their attacking confidence translates, they could surprise many; if not, they may find this level far less forgiving.

Wildcards

North Star sit in a tricky-to-read position. Their promotion was earned through consistency rather than dominance. Compared to Robina, they're undoubtedly the team most will consider more likely to drop back down.

Sunshine Coast Wanderers are another wildcard, though for different reasons. Their NPL season was brutal, but sometimes relegation can be the reset a club needs. The key question is whether it will spark a swift rebound or the sort of purgatory to which the likes of the Strikers have succumbed. They could stabilise and compete, or find themselves dragged into another difficult year.

Relegation Watch

Ipswich FC managed a genuinely impressive defensive record last year, especially for a lower-table side. Conceding only 26 in 22 games was proof of their structure and discipline. But that was all for nought, cancelled out by the glaring issue of goalscoring. If that doesn’t improve, tight games can easily turn into dropped points and pressure.

Capalaba survived by the narrowest of margins, playing in the division this year only by virtue of their goal difference. If they face their annual relegation battle once again in 2026, it may finally be one bridge too far.

Holland Park Hawks did well to survive their first year at this level, but second seasons can be tougher once the “newly promoted bounce” fades and expectations rise.

Final Verdict

Everything about Caboolture’s off-season points toward intent. The recruitment profile, the coaching appointment, and the lessons from last year’s inconsistency all suggest a club determined to reach the next level.

The key will be turning potential into sustained performance. Last season proved the Snakes can play at a promotion-winning level for stretches. The challenge now is doing it from Round 1 to Round 22.

If Speechley-Price can instil consistency and the new signings integrate well, Caboolture have the tools to push into the promotion conversation. Not as favourites, perhaps, but certainly as a side others will not take lightly. And in a league where last year’s promotion was decided on goal difference, being in the conversation is half the battle.