Melbourne City’s Powerchair stars have played a major part in helping the Australian Poweroos secure back-to-back Asia Pacific Oceania Cup titles and qualification for the 2026 FIPFA Powerchair Football World Cup, following a 2-1 Grand Final win over Japan.
The tournament, held at Nissan Arena in Brisbane, brought together the best powerchair football athletes from Japan, South Korea and New Zealand, with Australia once again coming out on top.
Strong City Contingent in Green and Gold
Melbourne City was proudly represented within the Australian squad by Luke David, Rebecca Evans, Santo Bongiovanni, Tristram Peters, Robert Wright and Skip Fulton. The City connection was strong with four powerchair athletes, the team’s Head Coach and Team Manager all part of the national team setup.
Their collective impact was instrumental in guiding the Poweroos to another title, further cementing Australia’s strength in powerchair football.
Santo Shines with Golden Guard Award
City’s own Santo Bongiovanni was one of the standout performers of the tournament, finishing as Australia’s top scorer and earning the Golden Guard (Golden Boot) award after an outstanding return of 10 goals in seven matches.
Performing when his team needed him most, it was Bongiovanni who netted Australia’s Grand Fianl winning goal to secure victory over Japan.
With four players, the head coach and team manager representing the Club on the international stage, Melbourne City is immensely proud of their achievements. Their success in Brisbane is a testament to the strength of City’s Powerchair program and the dedication of everyone involved.
Congratulations to the Poweroos on another incredible international triumph, and to our City stars for their vital role in bringing the trophy home once again.
