DISCUSSIONS are already under way about making Cairns an annual host of an A-League game following the success of the competition’s debut in the tropics.

Organisers of Saturday’s Brisbane Roar versus Wellington Phoenix fixture were hoping to attract 5000 soccer fans through the gates and were pleased to have achieved the benchmark on final ticket count.

The spectacle at Cazalys Stadium was thrilling and the outcome was favourable for well-backed hosts Brisbane Roar, who treated the fixture as a home game and sealed a 2-1 win in the dying minutes.

But the real success of A-League’s adventure to Far North Queensland was in the local community’s engagement with the sport.

Between training sessions ahead of the game, Roar players spent the week greeting fans and attending social engagements with the local soccer community.

Spectators came from as far as Brisbane, Gold Coast, Townsville and the greater Cairns region, with a handful of Wellington supporters flying over from New Zealand.

Far North Queensland Football general manager Duncan Sims said “there was not a single kid there who didn’t get an autograph after the game, if they wanted one”.

“There were over 5000 fans, it was entertaining for the crowd, and they loved it,” he said.

“We always want more but that’s because we were greedy, but we were always going to be happy if we got over 5000.

“To get that just over a week out from Christmas, with all the activities that were going on and being a very hot time of the year, it was a good turnout.”

Bringing a fixture of the national A-League competition to Cairns hinged on ticket sales, the ability for Fox Sports to broadcast live and suitability of the playing field.

Sims said the event was logistically a success, and that FNQ Football would be lobbying to have A-League return to Cairns on an annual basis.

“The AFL were fantastic with the preparation of the pitch – the Roar said it was one of the best they’ve played on – so they did an outstanding job,” he said.

“There’s an appetite for more and we’re already talking about making it an annual event.

“It’s very early stages but that’s our dream and our hope.

“Certainly all the stakeholders appear very happy with where we’re at.

“Everybody that was part of it was ecstatic and is keen to keep the communications open for us to go again.”

See all the action in our picture gallery.