Crisis meetings, shock moves from Capital Football amid 'unprecedented events'

Capital Football has made sweeping changes to next season's NPL competitions in the aftermath of Gungahlin United's collapse.

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The peak soccer body in the region announced on Wednesday afternoon that the "unprecedented events of the past week" forced it to drastically update the NPL competitions involved in the 2026 season.

In an effort to "reduce disruption" after Gungahlin United's imminent omission next year, the NPL men's competition will increase from 10 clubs to 11, with Canberra Juventus and Canberra White Eagles invited to join.

Monaro Panthers, Majura FC, and West Canberra Wanderers have also all been invited to join the NPL boys, with an increase of 10 to 12 clubs.

These three clubs were all initially relegated to the junior league after Capital Football's controversial NPL review for 2026, which was released back in May.

As a result of the same NPL review earlier this year, Juventus and White Eagles were among four Canberra clubs relegated from the second division Capital Premier League to the community league, after the CPL men's competition was scrapped entirely.

Bella Monaro - who are in a partnership with Monaro Panthers - were also relegated to the junior league after the review but are now back in NPL girls, in an eight-club competition.

And the NPL women was supposed to be a seven-team league next year but will now just be six teams after Gungahlin United were dumped - Belconnen United, Canberra Croatia, Canberra Olympic, Majura FC, Tuggeranong United and West Canberra Wanderers.

Read the inside story of how GUFC collapsed.

Capital Football chief executive Samantha Farrow. Picture by Elesa Kurtz

Capital Football said that they are open to expressions of interest from clubs wanting to join the NPLW as a seventh team in 2027.

"Capital Football (CF) is actively working with clubs, participants and stakeholders to minimise the impact of Gungahlin United Football Club's (GUFC) recent decision to commence winding up the club," it said in a statement.

"The unprecedented events of the past week have had widespread impacts not only for those involved at GUFC but also across the broader local football landscape. We encourage the entire football community to remember that GUFC players, coaches and volunteers require support from the loss of their club.

"Players who have had commitments made to them at other clubs should not be affected by this announcement, and their offers and opportunities for development should remain intact.

"Finally, if all clubs work together alongside CF, we can make the necessary adjustments to support all participants well before the start of the 2026 season in February.

"Our immediate priority is to support displaced players, particularly juniors, by helping them find new clubs. In addition, CF is working to create as many playing opportunities as possible in the Gungahlin region for affected National Premier League players."

The stunning NPL overhaul comes amid tension between Capital Football and Gungahlin United since the latter's announcement it would fold due to debts exceeding $550,000.

It is understood a crisis meeting was held between Capital Football and Gungahlin United on Tuesday night at the sporting body's Deakin office.

The meeting's aim was to get both parties in the room to discuss the big question of what happens next, and how they could best work together since the collapse of Gungahlin United, which has left 2000 players now without a club.

Then came the statement from Capital Football about NPL changes.

Prior to the declaration of leagues being made by Capital Football on October 1 following the NPL review report, several relegated clubs kept hope that decisions could be changed.

Queanbeyan-Palerang Council Mayor Kenrick Winchester was among those campaigning for Monaro Panthers after the NPL Boys program for 2026 was scrapped in May. Picture by Gary Ramage

Monaro Panthers was one such club that actively and loudly campaigned. President Aaron Hazelton said the club and its community was ecstatic with the news they had been invited to stay in the NPL boys on Wednesday, but were no less surprised by Capital Football's announcement.

"Everyone is pretty pumped," he told The Canberra Times.

"They sent us a letter about a minute before they posted the announcement. We're a little bit surprised how they've just kind of thrown everyone in, but it's incredibly exciting times.

"There are some kids who are a bit heartbroken because they had already made a decision to move to another NPL boys club, and can't afford to get rid of the deposits they already made.

"What they need to do now is freeze it and give clubs time to prepare. Capital Football need some calm now, and let's try and stabilise football in Canberra for a few years."

Gungahlin Juventus in NPL action in 2006. Picture by Marina Neil

For Canberra Juventus, a club first established in 1953, it was a long awaited return to NPL men's soccer.

The last time the club played NPL was in 2006 when it was bumped out for not having juniors. Ironically Juventus is actually closely tied to the origin story of Gungahlin United's formation in the early 2000s when divisions split off creating two separate clubs.

"A lot of hard work in the background has happened to get to this position," president Michael Sergi said.

"With the circumstances that occurred on the weekend with Gungahlin United it's obviously opened up some opportunities, and Capital Football have decided to give us a invitation to participate, which is fantastic.

"The club has been striving to get back in NPL, and we thought we were a bit unlucky not to meet the requirement to go directly into the NPL in 2026 after the review. But we still kept the hard work going, and it's absolutely a good day for the club."

Gungahlin United has drawn battle lines with Capital Football, blaming a backflip by the sporting body as the reason it continued to accept money for 2026 NPL registrations right before the club folded.

Despite tension between the two groups, it is understood a crisis meeting was held between Capital Football and Gungahlin United on Tuesday night at the sporting body's Deakin office.

The meeting's aim was to get both parties in the room to discuss the big question of what happens next, and how they could best work together since the collapse of Gungahlin United, which has left 2000 players now without a club.

A statement is expected later on Wednesday with more information.

It comes after interim executive Michael Rose released a statement on Monday evening admitting that player registration payments for next year were being accepted for "academy and NPL junior programs", and the club claimed to be misled by Capital Football.

But he also wanted to stamp out speculation that Gungahlin United had accepted early player registration fees while "knowingly preparing for administration".

"This is not accurate," Rose said in an email to this masthead.

The Canberra Times has been inundated with concerned, upset, and frustrated parents and coaches from Gungahlin United since the club announced it would no longer be operating due to significant debt exceeding $550,000.

It is understood several families and players had paid $600 for NPL programs next year as recently as last week, after Gungahlin United had been in contact with Capital Football about its future outlook amid concerning financial struggles.

"It has been reported that GUFC continued to accept deposits while planning to enter administration. This is not correct," the latest club statement read.

"Player offers and Academy-NPL junior payments were processed only after Capital Football advised that sanctions would apply to the NPL men's and women's teams only, and that NPLB and NPLG programs would not be affected for 2026.

"Once Capital Football reversed its position and advised that all GUFC NPL programs were affected, no further deposits were invoiced or accepted."

Gungahlin United said on Monday that it was making "progress toward program refunds for players".

As per the club's refund policy, which is available on its website, players are entitled to a full refund on registration fees if a request is submitted by February 14. It's unclear if players will be able to get that money back with the club set to enter administration. People impacted could also contact their bank for further options.

Gungahlin United is one of the biggest clubs in Canberra. Picture by Dion Georgopoulos

The club said it kept those registrations open because of Capital Football's "advice" that sanctions on the club over its debts would only apply to its NPL men's and women's senior teams, not the juniors.

Gugahlin United claims this led the club and many of its members to believe the NPL boys and girls program was not in jeopardy.

The club pointed to Capital Football's declaration of leagues for 2026, which indeed didn't indicate NPL boys and girls at Gungahlin United were subject to compliance conditions.

The club maintains it was transparent, it had provided Capital Football with a "comprehensive financial forecast" as part of a "recovery plan" in the first instance on October 10, and when the sporting body asked for it again, they "responded accordingly".

By this point in October, it is understood Rose was leading a new interim executive, with former president Neil Harlock and other executives stepping down in mid-September.

It is unclear to many in the Gungahlin United community what process was followed for Rose and other new executive members to be elected, as there was no town hall, special general meetings, or club announcements.

The disagreements between Capital Football and Gungahlin United make an already messy affair even more so.

Capital Football is attempting to navigate the loss of one of the biggest clubs in Canberra and assist 2000 players in finding a new team, and the Gungahlin United community remains shellshocked by what's happened, with many blindsided.

Gungahlin United is scheduled to hold an annual general meeting on the evening of November 7 at Eastlake Football Club.

Rose said he was attempting to be as transparent as possible on behalf of Gungahlin United, but for now chose to keep his comments to media to a minimum.

On the club's total liabilities exceeding $550,000 - much more than the initial $200,000 debt cited on Saturday - Rose was forthright.

"This situation is significantly worse than initially understood," he told The Canberra Times in an email.

"Continuing to operate under these circumstances would be both irresponsible and a clear breach of the Associations Incorporation Act 1991 (ACT)."

Meanwhile, ACT Minister for Sport Yvette Berry has acknowledged that what happened with Gungahlin United is big blow to the community. Where appropriate, Minister Berry's office will continue to work with Capital Football and the club, but is seeking advice from the Sport and Recreation Directorate on next steps.

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