Summer Football at Lionel Watts

An MWFA Summer Football competition, hosted by Wakehurst FC at Lionel Watts — fast, social 6-a-side football on synthetic pitches, played across summer afternoons and evenings.

MWFA logo Wakehurst FC logo

Quick facts

The quick version

6-a-side

Short, fast games for junior and senior teams.

Lionel Watts

Played on synthetic pitches at Lionel Watts Reserve.

October to March

A summer competition with a break over the summer school holidays.

7 players minimum

Teams need at least 7 players. We recommend 8–10.

How it works

Teams nominate first. Players register later.

The process is simple but it is important that it happens in the right order.

01

Get your team together

Wakehurst FC does not place individual players into teams. Teams organise themselves and have a manager act on their behalf.

02

Nominate your team

Submit the team name, competition category, manager contact details and player information.

03

Wait for confirmation

Submitting a nomination does not guarantee a place. Wakehurst FC will review nominations and confirm accepted teams.

04

Register

Once accepted, players and team officials register through PlayFootball.

Competitions

Choose your competition

Competition categories may be adjusted depending on final team numbers.

Junior competitions

Competition Game day
Mixed Juniors U6–U18 Monday
Junior Women U6–U18 Tuesday

Senior competitions

Competition Game day
O35 Men Monday
O35 Women Tuesday
All Age Women Tuesday
All Age Mixed Tuesday

Summer afternoons and evenings

From junior kick-offs to later games under lights

Summer Football starts with younger junior games in the afternoon around 4:15pm and moves through older junior and senior matches later in the evening, finishing around 9pm.

Early games are played in daylight. As the evening progresses, the later matches move into twilight and, eventually, under lights.

Why teams enjoy it

Good games, simple format

Summer Football is built around similar-ability matchups, local fixtures, synthetic pitches and short games.

  • Similar-ability matchups
  • Short, fast games
  • Synthetic pitches
  • Local weekday fixtures
  • Junior and senior competitions
  • A social but organised competition environment

Key dates

2026/27 season dates

Please mark these dates if your team is planning to nominate for the 2026/27 Summer Football season.

Team nominations openSat 27 June 2026
Priority nomination period closesFri 17 July 2026
Team nominations closeFri 31 July 2026
Player registrations openMon 3 August 2026
Early-bird pricing finishesFri 21 August 2026
Season commences12/13 October 2026
Summer break16 December 2026 – 31 January 2027
Season resumes1/2 February 2027
Season finishes8/9 March 2027

Before you nominate

Have your team details ready

Please have the following information ready before starting your team nomination.

  • Team manager details
  • Proposed team name
  • Preferred competition category
  • At least 7 players
  • Player names
  • Player dates of birth
  • Rep-player information, where relevant

Fees

2026/27 player fees

The player fee includes a playing shirt, shorts and socks.

Junior players

Early-bird: $220

After 21 August: $235

Senior players

Early-bird: $245

After 21 August: $260

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Does nominating guarantee a place?

No. Submitting a team nomination does not guarantee acceptance. Wakehurst FC will review nominations and confirm accepted teams.

Can individual players register without a team?

No. Players need to be part of an accepted team before registering.

When do players register?

Players register after their team has been accepted. Registration is completed through PlayFootball.

How many players do we need?

Teams need at least 7 players to nominate. We recommend 8–10 players to cover absences, injuries and holidays.

What is the priority nomination period?

If the competition is oversubscribed, priority consideration may be given to teams with five or more players who played for Wakehurst in the most recent winter season or previous Summer Football competition, provided the team nomination is submitted before the priority deadline. Priority consideration does not guarantee acceptance.

Do all games play under lights?

No. Because the competition is played during daylight saving, early junior games are generally played in daylight. Later youth and senior games may finish under lights.

What time do age groups play?

Exact kick-off times are not confirmed until team nominations close because the timetable depends on the final mix of teams across each age group and competition. As a general pattern, younger age groups play earlier in the afternoon, with older junior teams and senior players in the evening.

As a guide only, last season's approximate start times were:

Monday

Age group Approx. start times
U64:15 pm
U7–U84:15 pm and 4:50 pm
U9–U104:50 pm, 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm
U11–U126:00 pm and 6:40 pm
U13–U146:40 pm and 7:15 pm
U15–U177:50 pm and 8:30 pm
O35 Men8:30 pm

Tuesday

Age group Approx. start times
WU6–WU84:50 pm and 5:30 pm
WU9–WU115:30 pm and 6:00 pm
WU12–WU136:00 pm and 6:40 pm
WU14–WU166:40 pm and 7:15 pm
All-Age Women and O35 Women7:15 pm and 7:50 pm

Please treat these as last season's times only. The final 2026/27 timetable may change depending on how many teams nominate in each age group.

Can competition categories change?

Yes. Competition categories may be adjusted depending on final team numbers.

Ready to play?

Ready to nominate your team?

Team nominations for the 2026/27 Summer Football at Lionel Watts season open on Sat 27 June 2026. Places are limited by available field space and competition structure, so teams are encouraged to nominate early once nominations open.

Nominate a Team