New Capital Futsal League establishes pay parity

And it's also been set up to ensure there's equal pay for women.

The Capital Futsal League was launched on Wednesday - a new six-team competition that's modelled on the bright lights and colours of cricket's Big Bash League.

It pits the north, south and west of Canberra against Queanbeyan and the two universities, with the South Canberra Swift and West Canberra Lightning opening the season at Daramalan on Friday night.

The North Canberra Fire, Queanbeyan-Palerang Power, UC Stars and ANU Apex will play on Saturday and Sunday, with all the games live-streamed.

Daramalan will be the home of the CFL, with the long-term plan to have futsal courts at the Throsby Home of Football.

Capital Football chief executive Chris Gardiner said the ACT was originally offered a spot in the NSW conference, but the CFL would count as a conference of its own - with the winners advancing through to the national league.

"The good news on this initiative is Football Australia is looking to re-launch a national F-League and they were looking at a conference set-up where we would've been sending a team to a NSW conference," Gardiner said.

"My understanding is because of our initiative our futsal league will be treated as its own conference equal to the other states as part of that national F-League."

Gardiner said they'd wanted to create the league from scratch with all clubs required to have both a men's and women's team, with under-18s, 16s and 14s to be introduced next year.

It was also a requirement that if teams started paying players, then they had to pay both the men and the women.

Gardiner said pay parity was an important part of any league starting now.

"Once you start paying male players you must pay your female players - so there's pay equity built into this model as well," he said.

"Which professional sport setting something up in the 21^st century doesn't establish parity between male and female players?"

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Lightning player Dianne Wilson said it had a T20 feel and she was just excited for the return of an elite women's competition.

Last year there was only a men's premier league.

The CFL will be played under international rules, which means the clock will stop every time the ball goes out of play.

"It's very exciting, especially after last year there wasn't a women's premier league so it's good to have a premier league back again," Wilson said.

"An exciting new format with six new clubs and having men's and women's playing back-to-back - and having juniors in the future."

CAPITAL FUTSAL LEAGUE ROUND ONE

Friday: South Canberra Swift v West Canberra Lightning at Daramalan - women 6pm, men 8pm.

Saturday: North Canberrra Fire v Queanbeyan-Palerang Power at Daramalan - men 5pm, women 7pm.

Sunday: UC Stars v ANU Apex at Daramalan - men 5pm, women 7pm.

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