City of Coffs Harbour channels the Midas touch

City of Coffs Harbour is the touch football capital of the nation – as a second major tournament which will pump more than $5 million into the economy gets underway. 

More than 8000 people will pour into the City for the four-day tournament at the C.ex Coffs International Stadium. 

The DoorDash National Youth Championships (NYC) will feature Australia’s best young players – boys and girls in age divisions from Under 12s to U18s – in a mega event which returns to Coffs for the first time since 2008. 

“This is the big league in every sense as Coffs has snared this touch football showpiece which has been held in Queensland from 2013 to 2023,” City of Coffs Harbour City Planning and Communities Acting Director Ian Fitzgibbon said. 

“We are now unquestionably the home for elite touch football after Coffs staged The Championships (the nationals for adults) in March. 

“We have won the right to stage the NYC for three years and we are very confident the players, officials, supporters and local fans will appreciate the first-class facilities we have here at the stadium.” 

120 teams will vie to be crowned national champions at the tournament which runs from Wednesday to Saturday 25 to 28 September. 

Touch Football Australia CEO Jamie O’Connor said the sport would tip more than $10m into the local economy this year on the back of Coffs hosting The Championships and now the NYC. 

“There’s nowhere better on the East Coast than Coffs,” Mr O’Connor said. 

“The facilities are unreal and the surface is excellent.” 

Some of the biggest names in rugby league have come through the NYC ranks, including Melbourne Storm superstar Ryan Papenhuyzen and NRLW legends Tamika Upton and Ali Brigginshaw. 

“This week’s tournament is bound to unearth some Gen Next champions so head along to the stadium to see these elite young players light up the fields,” Mr Fitzgibbon said. 

Entry is free and all are welcome to attend, while the event will be broadcast by Kayo Sports in Australia, Sky Sport in New Zealand and Sky Sport Next in other global territories. 

The competition will see a mix of school, regional and state representative teams.  

Local hopes will rest with the Northern Eagles, a representative outfit which takes in a vast area from Forster through to the Queensland border.  

Photo (from left): City of Coffs Harbour Events, Sport and Cultural Services Group Leader Karlene McKeown, Northern Eagles players Frazer Merrick (Taree) and Ava Crethar (Ballina) and Touch Football Australia CEO Jamie O’Connor.