Play On! Sports Vouchers 2025-26: Guide for QLD Families

If you’ve looked at the cost of signing up your child for netball or swimming this year, you might have winced. For Queensland families, the Play On! Sports Vouchers have been a welcome relief, and they just got bigger – from $100 to $200 per child, starting 4 August 2025.

Voucher amount per child: $200 ·
Age range: 5 to 17 years ·
Frequency: One per financial year ·
Application start date: 4 August 2025 ·
Program rounds: Two rounds

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts

$200 per child aged 5–17, one per financial year (Queensland Government (official application page))
Applications open 9am on 4 August 2025 (Queensland Government (ministerial statement))
No income test required (Queensland Government (Sport and Recreation news))

2What’s unclear

Exact voucher expiry date if issued late in the financial year (varies per round)
Full list of registered providers – families must check the online portal
Whether online-only programs (e.g., e-sports) are eligible
Exact timing of Round 2 opening (currently estimated January 2026)
Whether providers in remote areas are fully registered
Whether vouchers can be used for online activity registrations

3Timeline signal

First round opens 4 August 2025 (Queensland Government (ministerial statement))
All vouchers must be presented to providers by 19 June 2026 (Queensland Government (application page))
Round 2 applications close 12 June 2026 unless exhausted earlier (Queensland Government (application page))

4What’s next

Second round expected January 2026 (estimated; exact date not yet confirmed) (Queensland Government (Sport and Recreation news))
Providers must update their Enquire profile to stay registered (Queensland Government (Sport and Recreation news))
Families can apply for both Play On and Back to School Boost vouchers (Queensland Government (Sport and Recreation news))

The upshot

Queensland families now have a much stronger tool to offset rising sport registration costs. The doubling of the voucher from $100 to $200 means a real chance for more kids to stay in sport through the cost-of-living squeeze.

Seven facts summarize the program at a glance:

Label	Value
Program name	Play On! Sports Vouchers
Administered by	Queensland Government (Department of Tourism and Sport)
Voucher amount	$200 per eligible child
Eligible age group	5 to 17 years
Frequency	One voucher per child per financial year
Application opens	4 August 2025
Rounds	Two (August and January)

Who is eligible for Play On vouchers in Queensland?

Age requirements

Every child aged 5 to 17 who is named on a Queensland Medicare card is eligible (Queensland Government (ministerial statement)). The program covers both winter and summer sports. You can find more details about the Queensland sports vouchers program, including eligibility and how to apply, at $Queensland sports vouchers.

Residency or school enrollment criteria

Children must be Queensland residents or enrolled in a Queensland school.
No income test or means check is required.
There is a dedicated allocation for children living in regional, remote, and disability categories (Queensland Government (Sport and Recreation news)).

Number of vouchers per child

One voucher per child per financial year. If a child received a voucher in Round 1 (August 2025), they cannot apply for the current round (Queensland Government (application page)).

The catch

Families who already used a Round 1 voucher must wait until the next financial year to apply again. That’s one $200 shot per child per year – plan carefully before choosing a program.

The implication: consider the timing of your child’s sport season before applying to avoid wasting the voucher.

How long are Play On vouchers valid?

Voucher expiry date relative to the financial year

All vouchers from both rounds must be presented to an activity provider by 19 June 2026 (Queensland Government (application page)). If you receive your voucher late in the year, the window