Northern Inland Football returned to the 2026 Newcastle Permanent Community State Youth Championships for the first time since 2023 last week, marking an important milestone for football in the region.
The return allowed Northern Inland to once again send representative teams to one of Northern NSW Football's premier youth community competitions, creating new opportunities for young players across the region.
The championships concluded last Friday after five days of competition, with community footballers from across northern NSW competing in boys' and girls' divisions from under-12s to under-16s age groups.
NNSWF Northern Inland Regional Football Manager Jess Kellaway said the return would not have been possible without the commitment of local clubs, volunteers and coaches.
"A big part of making this happen was the support from our coaches, volunteers and clubs," Kellaway said.
"Without them putting their hands up, we wouldn't have been able to get teams together."
The tournament gave players from across the region the opportunity to represent Northern Inland while competing against the best youth community footballers from Northern NSW Football's member zones.
The Under-16 Boys team produced Northern Inland's strongest result of the week, finishing with three wins in their age group. But Kellaway said the biggest success was seeing players from across the region unite as one team.
"One of the best parts of the program was seeing players from different clubs come together to represent Northern Inland,” Kellaway said.
“While our trials and training were based in Tamworth, players travelled from Inverell, Narrabri, Guyra and Armidale to represent Northern Inland. It was great to see them come together as one team.”
Northern Inland's return also reflected the strength of community football across the region. The championships gave young players the chance to represent their zone, create lifelong memories and experience football beyond their local competitions.
Northern Inland's return provides a strong foundation for future championships and ensures more players from the region can represent their zone at one of Northern NSW Football's premier community events.