Queensland is positioning football as a growth driver and more broadly aiming to turn the state into Australia’s events capital, starting with high-profile Brazil friendlies to attract qualifiers and other marquee games.

Queensland Tourism Minister announced a renewed focus on the world game, highlighting samba street parties ahead of the Australia vs Brazil friendlies in Townsville and Brisbane in late September 2026.

Townsville will host the first match, with Flinders Street closed for a Sneaky Sound System pre-match concert, signaling large-scale city-wide event planning.

Brazilian fans from a large southeast Queensland community—more than 20,000 strong—are expected to travel from South America for both games, with one forecast predicting a Brazil win.

Officials, including Townsville’s MP and the Australia-Brazil Chamber of Commerce chief, touted economic and tourism benefits such as higher hotel occupancy and increased dining activity from both interstate and international attendees.

Brazil has named a strong squad for the friendlies, featuring stars like Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, and Bruno Guimarães, underscoring the marquee draw of the matches.

Brisbane’s Caxton Street will be closed to traffic on the evening of September 29 for a street party, illustrating the broader, event-focused approach beyond the stadium.

Powell acknowledged a past missed opportunity to pursue more football matches, noting Brisbane hasn’t hosted a competitive World Cup qualifier since 2015.