Sport
27 August, 2025
Softball finals hit Moreton
Moreton Bay is gearing up for its biggest ever sporting event after being confirmed as the host city for the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Finals in 2027.
Eight countries will compete as the Women’s World Cup returns to Australian soil for the first time since the 1965 Softball World Championships.
Mayor Peter Flannery said Council was proud to provide the venue, Talobilla Park at Kippa-Ring, and that the event would boost local participation in softball while raising the City’s global profile.
“We are thrilled to be hosting this major international women’s sporting event, which will boost participation in softball locally and showcase our facilities at Talobilla Park at Kippa-Ring, including a new softball clubhouse,” he said. “With eight countries competing, our community will get to see many of the sport’s greatest athletes in action while our local businesses will benefit from increased tourist activity.”
Cr Flannery said the event is expected to generate more than 10,500 visitor nights and contribute $6.3 million in economic spend. Additionally, it is anticipated to have a global TV audience of around 60 million and a similar social reach, as softball is very strong in Japan, South Korea and the USA among other countries.
“The influx of visitors and global attention on our City will support our push for more hotel investment ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games,” he said. “We’d love to see softball part of the 2032 Games, and we are investigating how we can support their push for inclusion in the sports program.”
Held from April 5-11, 2027, the tournament will be a key event leading into the LA 2028 Olympic Games, with four games per day over six days.
A $4.8 million modern clubhouse will be built at Talobilla Park to support more than 700 Redcliffe Leagues Softball Association members, jointly funded by the Federal Government and Moreton Bay Council.
State Minister for the Environment and Tourism, and Member for Glass House, Andrew Powell, said major sporting events like this provided a significant tourism boost for local communities, attracting visitors from around the world.
“The Government promised to bring more events to Queensland in the lead up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and this announcement is delivering on what we said we would do,” he said. “Teams from around the world will be staying for an extended period and enjoying all that Queensland has to offer while thousands of locals will turn out to watch the games and take part in a range of community activities.”
State Minister for Sport, Racing and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Tim Mander, said the event was a coup for Queensland.
“We want to see more global sporting events call Queensland home over the next seven years to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Women’s Softball World Cup is a perfect fit,” he said. “We all remember the impact of the Matildas in 2023 and competing on home turf in a Softball World Cup in 2027 will inspire more young women to emulate their sporting heroes on the field.”
Softball Australia CEO, Sarah Loh, said the event was a powerful opportunity to inspire the next generation, boost grassroots participation, and deliver lasting benefits to local communities.
“The strong support from all levels of Government to bring the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup to Brisbane is both welcome and vital,” she said.
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said they were “thrilled” with the announcement.
“Held one year before the LA 2028 Olympics and five years before the Brisbane 2032 Games, this tournament will highlight Australia’s great passion for softball and the deep roots the sport has in the country’s sporting community,” he said.
Federal Minister for Sport Anika Wells said the Softball World Cup would build on Australia’s successful hosting of other women’s sporting events, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 and the Netball World Cup in 2027.
“This event means our Aussie Spirit side can have home support for what will be the first Softball World Cup in Australia since 1965.”
State Member for Redcliffe, Kerri-Anne Dooley, called the announcement a win for the local economy.
“This is a great opportunity to showcase Redcliffe on the world stage and a welcomed boost to the local economy,” she said.
