By Tom Shankè

The City district is where football started, the beating heart of football. Senior Reporter Tom Shankè dives deep into history of football in The City and the revenue it is now, ahead of the District of Origin clash between the City and their neighbours The Swamp.

The City District is centred around Queen’s Palace, which also happens to be the FCFL HQ. It is also appropriate that the third biggest stadium in the continent is situated right next to it; Queen’s Palace Stadium. You can see why the City District is the only district to have three FCFL clubs under its belt. And why the City District pumps out more talent and young players then any other district. It also happens to be where football started, 25 years ago in the CFL (city football league).

The CFL was where it all started, between four teams. The North, The Palace, The Eastern Bees and The Crocodiles. They played out 10 seasons before it was thought to include the neighbours in the Swamp District. So, the CFL became the CSFL (the city-swamp football league) And incorporated two new teams: the Frogs and the Snakes. This is how the junior league stands to this day.

Backtracking a bit, 15 years. Smaller leagues had begun to form in the Bushlands and Mountains District (MFL now the MBFL), the Forest district (FFL) and Rainforest district (RFL). It wasn’t until, four years ago, Gusta La Vidi came around and thought of combining them.

Mr Gusta La Vidi created the FCFL (the ferny creek football league) and tested out a small season in 2021, between the Kookaburras, the Lyrebirds, the Possums and the Wombats. They played and it was ultimately successful. In season two, now with six teams, the Kookaburras of the City District won the premiership. They have been in finals contention every season since.

Now, in the 2026 Fix Ya Fixture FCFL Premiership, two new teams have earned licenses from the City District. The Crocodiles and the Lorikeets.

If you go north of Queens Palace, you encounter the richer area of the City. Here, among small houses and luscious gardens you find Gumnut Grove. Built in 2025, smack on the world class Botanical Gardens the Lorikeets training venue is a perfect place for the district of origin tour to continue.

Go a little bit south, and you find yourself in the South of the City District. Home of the arts and sitting in the middle of that is the famous Revelry Garden and in the middle of that is the Revelry Garden Reserve. This venue is an open field with the picturesque Museum behind it. The Crocodiles train here. The District of Origin is brought here with the City and the Plains facing off here.

Now days, the City District pumps out more players than any other district and with the FCFL launching the new initiative to move towards players playing for their district of origin, we can expect performance to sky rocket for the three FCFL City District clubs. Unfortunately, this notion hasn’t shown in the 2025 District of Origin Tour with the City losing the two games they have played.

But, they have time to redeem themselves. With two matches left to play, the City have time to lift. The City face their neighbours and rivals the Swamp at Gumnut Grove on Friday night.

Tomorrow, Coen Pearson looks at footy in the Swamp district as part of the article series by fcfl.com.au for the District of Origin tour.