Premier Invitational to bring 500 junior soccer teams, $16 million economic boost to the Gold Coast

Australia’s largest junior soccer tournament is set to descend on the Gold Coast and deliver a major economic windfall. Read why the Premier Invitational has boomed.

Adem Poric spoke ahead of the 2024 Premier Invitational.

A nine-day economic boom is on the Gold Coast’s doorstep courtesy of Australia’s largest junior football tournament.

The Premier Invitational will be played on the Gold Coast from the September 20 to 29 and feature seven international teams from New Zealand as well as a plethora of teams from around Australia.

In total, the prestigious annual event will host more than 500 teams, 6000 players, and 1500 coaches, managers, and assistants.

City of Gold Coast councillor Bob La Castra noted the multiple benefits the Premier Invitational would bring to the Gold Coast region.

“It really fits in with our active and healthy strategy, it’s really good to have kids playing sport, so that’s huge,” La Castra said.

“Also the economic impact from this event is massive, it’s probably going to be around $16-17 million.

“Nine days, 500 teams, they all come with several support staff, then you’ve got the trainers and mums and dads.

“You want them to get a bit of downtime in those nine days to go and see things but if they don’t I think they’re going to see enough to say, ‘hey, I want to come back with the family’.

“It’s not just the business and the impact we’re getting from the event, but once you’ve been here (on the Gold Coast) and know what you’ve missed out on you’re going to come back again. It’s an ongoing thing.”

Councillor Bob La Castra threw his support behind the Premier Invitational. Picture: Jerad Williams

Adem Poric is the founder of Coast football club Magic United – which organises the tournament – and the Premier Invitational’s contest director.

“It’s a footballing spectacular to be honest,” Poric said.

“The Premier Invitational’s not just geared up for elitism, it’s geared up for everybody.

“It’s a celebration of football at the end of the day, we want everybody to come up and enjoy the Gold Coast and what it has to offer.

“We’re really looking for participation. The event and the way that’s structured loops into different tournaments after the first day, you’ve got your elite, and you intermediate, and we’ve got your more social ones.”

The 2023 tournament saw 337 teams participate, drawing a total attendance of 76,478 and generating an economic benefit of $10,942,487.

The Premier Invitational football tournament on the Gold Coast. Picture: Mike Batterham.

With this year’s tournament set to welcome 500 teams, the projected attendance is expected to exceed 113,000, while the economic impact is on track to surpass $16 million.

The tournament began in 2012 and its growth since has been exponential.

Poric said it was difficult to put his finger on exactly why the tournament had boomed.

“When we started off there were other tournaments that were way bigger than what we were,” he said.

“I think it’s just we listened to our market and what they wanted and we delivered to them.

“For our youngsters they’ve got nine games over three days, they’ve got plenty of football action, but they’re here (at the ground) for a condensed time.

“They’re not here from 8am to 6pm, they’re here for four or five hours and that’s the end of it and they can get on and enjoy their holiday.

“I think that’s the beauty of what the tournament provides.”

Magic United founder Adem Poric. Picture: Jerad Williams

There has also been significant growth in the number of women’s teams participating.

“Last year there were eight (women’s) teams per age group, this year for some of them there’s 22 or 24 teams per age group,” Poric said.

Games will be played across three venues, at Magic United, Southport Warriors, and the Nerang sporting precinct where rugby league and union fields will also be used.

“Our main goal for the Gold Coast was to bring the international teams in and all the teams from all over Australia,” Poric said.

“It’s a huge push and boost for the economy of the Gold Coast.”