Australia’s premier youth Touch Football event, the 2026 DoorDash National Youth Championships (NYC), has officially kicked off in Coffs Harbour, with a record 131 teams descending on the Coffs Coast for four days of competition.
The 2026 event marks the 16th occasion of the National Youth Championships being held in Coffs Harbour, continuing Touch Football Australia’s strong connection with the region and its partnership with the City of Coffs Harbour and the NSW Government through Destination NSW.
NYC plays an important role in the sport’s participation and representative pathways, bringing together emerging talent from schools, regions and states and territories from across Australia.
Among the next generation of stars taking the field in Coffs Harbour is Australian Emu Layne Prince, who returns for Queensland Representative School Sport in the 18s Girls division. Prince was named Player of the Final at last year’s NYC after helping Queensland to the national title, just months after making her Australian Emus debut at the 2025 Asia Pacific Youth Touch Cup.
Touch Football’s strong family connections will also be on show through the Dayberg-Muir family. Former Australian representative Drumayne Dayberg-Muir returns to the NYC as an Assistant Coach, alongside his wife Lauren, who will coach the South Queensland Sharks 16 Girls A side.
Their daughter, Aniston Dayberg-Muir, will take the field in the same team, continuing her own rise through the junior ranks. Aniston is no stranger to success on the national stage, having been named Player of the Final as the South Queensland Sharks claimed the 12s Girls title at the 2023 National Youth Championships.
Ahead of the opening matches, Touch Football Australia Chief Executive Officer Marcus Ashcroft was joined at C.ex Coffs International Stadium by City of Coffs Harbour Mayor Nikki Williams and Nationals Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh MP to officially welcome the event back to the region.
Touch Football Australia Chief Executive Officer, Marcus Ashcroft said:
“We love coming to Coffs Harbour. Many of the players competing here this week will go on to graduate to our senior National Touch League and potentially represent Australia in the future.
It gives young players the opportunity to compete against the best from around the country, see how they stack up and continue along the pathway towards the highest levels of our sport.”
Nationals Member for Coffs Harbour, Gurmesh Singh MP said:
“Events like NYC bring people from all over the country to Coffs Harbour, and they’re staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants and cafes and spending across the region.
“That’s exactly what our hospitality sector needs and demonstrates why events like this are so important for the local economy.”
City of Coffs Harbour Mayor, Cr Nikki Williams said:
“Having thousands of players and their families arrive on the Coffs Coast is fantastic for our tourism industry, small businesses and hospitality venues.
“We’re talking about an injection of more than $5 million into our local economy, which is always a fantastic outcome for our city.
“It’s great to see so many people across the Coffs Coast enjoying everything our region has to offer. Our hospitality and accommodation providers, along with small businesses right across the community, all benefit from major events like the National Youth Championships.”
Fans can watch the 2026 DoorDash National Youth Championships live and free via BarTV and the Touch Football Australia YouTube channel.
