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• Latest News
Partnership-Based PQPs will be introduced for the 2027 Playoffs
Effective immediately, PQPs will accrue to partnerships rather than individual players. This change applies to all PQP-earning events from the 2025 GNOT onwards and will affect the 2027 Open and Mixed Teams Playoffs.
This change is in line with international best-practice and is intended to get more long-term partnerships representing Australia internationally, contributing to improved results.
A detailed explanation and the reasons behind the changes is available on the ABF website:
» Partnership-Based PQPs Announcement
• Purpose of the Playoffs
The primary purpose of the Playoffs is to select the Australian teams for the next year. By entering a Playoff, all players declare that they are available and intend to represent Australia in any Target Event/s if they qualify.
Participation and performance in the Playoffs are also major criteria in deciding to whom the ABF offers the opportunity to represent Australia in any other (non-target) representative events that may arise in that year.
All players who enter a Playoff must be eligible to play for Australia as per the ABF's Eligibility to represent Australia Policy, and be eligible for any Target Events as per their eligibility codes.
• Venue
Canberra Bridge Club, 5-7 Duff Place, Deakin, ACT 2600
• Accommodation
There is a wide range of accommodation options available within a 5-10 minute drive to the venue from motels and hotels situated in the nearby suburbs of Forrest, Manuka and Kingston.
• Lunch (BYO)
Each day there is a lunch period of approximately 45 minutes (TBC). Players are advised to bring their own lunch or purchase items at the nearby Deakin shopping centre directly across Duff Place. There are three cafes that provide excellent coffee, other beverages, cakes, pies, sandwiches, and light meals.
Little Sutton Bakehouse, Shop 5, 12 Duff Place: https://littlesutton.com.au/
Opening hours 7.00 am to 4pm Monday to Thursday, 7.00 to 2.30 Friday-Sunday. Download menu and contact details at website above.
Double Shot, Shop 7, Duff Place : https://doubleshotdeakin.com.au/
Opening hours 6.00 am to 2pm Monday to Sunday. Download menu and contact details at website above.
Café D’Lish https://cafedlish.com.au/
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 6 am to 4pm, Saturday 6am – 2pm, Sunday & Public Holiday CLOSED. Download menu and contact details at website above.
Take away is an option for consumption at the bridge club. There is a large IGA supermarket at the shopping centre which includes fresh fruit, snacks and confectionary items as well as a wide variety of cold beverages and ice cream.
Instant coffee and tea bags, sugar and milk will be available with mugs for those who require it. Chilled tap water and glasses are also available in the downstairs kitchen.
• Parking
There will be adequate parking in the Bridge Club carpark for the first knockout match on Days 1-2 as there will be no club bridge sessions on the Saturday and Sunday. When club bridge sessions resume on the Monday, players are advised to use the large free public carpark at the rear of the bridge club (accesses off Macgregor St and Grose St) and not the bridge club car park required by the club regular players.
• BBO Coverage/Video Camera recording/Use of Tablets
Subject to the organisers being able to find the necessary BBO operators, one match in each round will be broadcast on BBO. Details of the proposed schedule and coverage will be posted each day of the event.
Further, in accordance with previous Australian representative selection events, all tables will be video recorded. In addition, tablets will be used by all players for the purpose of bidding. The tablets replace bidding boxes and use the same software that the WBF now uses for their events.
• Player Wellness and Dress Code
Players remain responsible for monitoring their own health and should not turn up to play at the venue if they are unwell. The TO retains the absolute discretion to exclude a player who arrives at the venue and is demonstrably unwell.
Players are also reminded that they must conform with the dress code of the venue which includes but is not limited to no brief shorts, no bare shoulders (males only); i.e., for instance, no singlets, no tank tops, no sportswear, no swimwear, no lycra cycle wear, no body suits, no sports shorts, no bare feet, no rubber thongs, no dirty shoes or boots, no soiled sneakers.
• Smoking
Players are advised that it is a requirement that players do not smoke inside the Canberra Bridge Club premises. Smokers may smoke in the car park provided they are not using the ramp leading to the front door and the bench outside.
• Format
The format will be teams based.
- 120-board knockout matches, each played over two days;
- teams ranked by PQPs for determining knockout brackets and tie breaking; and
- a maximum entry of eight teams (ranked upon total partnership PQPs).
• Fees and Subsidies
Entry Fees
The entry fee is $2,340 per team and covers the entire playoff, irrespective of how far the team progresses.
This is equivalent to $585 per player for a four-player team or $390 per player for a six-player team.
Travel Subsidies
Travel subsidies are payable per player towards return travel and are based on the capital city airport nearest by road to the player’s principal place of residence in Australia.
| Canberra |
$0 |
| Sydney |
$200 |
| Melbourne |
$400 |
| Brisbane |
$400 |
| Adelaide |
$600 |
| Hobart |
$600 |
| Perth |
$900 |
| Darwin |
$900 |
Players who live more than 100km from a capital city airport may request a review of their travel subsidy in writing to the ABF Executive Director.
Players will be required to pay their entry fees on My ABF.
Travel subsidies will be paid after the event has commenced, players may elect to have them paid via either bank transfer or My ABF credits.
Players participating in multiple playoffs will be eligible for travel subsidies for each event.
The ABF policy of discounted entry for Youth applies. In the case of youth players an appropriate adjustment will be made to the entry fees.
• Target events and financial assistance to representative teams
The target event for the 2027 Australian representative team is the Zone 7 Playoffs (date and venue TBA) leading to the WBF World Team Championships 2027 (August 24 - September 4, Barbados). The opening ceremony is on 23 August.
The selected teams will also be eligible to represent Australia at the Asia Pacific Bridge Federation Championships, expected to be held in the Philippines in April or May 2027. The dates and venue are provisional and will be updated once confirmed.
The ABF Board has approved increased travel subsidies for 2027, reflecting the improvement in the ABF’s financial position over recent years and our commitment to improving Australia’s international performance. The subsidies are based on a return economy airfare plus half the estimated cost of four-star accommodation. The same rates apply to each selected player and the team’s non-playing captain.
APBF championships
The subsidy will be $2,025 per representative. Representatives based in Adelaide, Canberra or Hobart will receive an additional $300, bringing their subsidy to $2,325. No departure-city supplement applies to Perth or Darwin representatives.
Representatives will be required to arrive no less than two days before play commences. The subsidy is calculated based on the schedule of previous APBF events. If there is a change to the schedule, the ABF reserves the right to alter the subsidy to reflect a shorter or longer duration, subject to Board approval of any substantive change.
WBF World Teams Championships
The base subsidy will be $5,700 per representative.
Base subsidies for representatives based in Adelaide, Canberra or Hobart will be $6,200. Darwin representatives will receive $6,450. Perth representatives will receive $6,700.
Representatives will be required to arrive in Barbados by 19 August 2027, allowing four clear days before play commences. The base subsidy includes half the estimated accommodation cost for the preparation period and six days of qualifying play.
Each representative, including the non-playing captain, will also receive an additional $400 if their team reaches the quarter-finals, a further $400 if it reaches the semi-finals and a further $400 if it reaches the final. The maximum additional payment is $1,200 per representative.
These are fixed subsidies and are not negotiable, subject to the APBF schedule adjustment described above. They are contributions towards the cost of representing Australia; representatives are responsible for costs exceeding the subsidy. The subsidy for each event applies to representatives attending that event.
• Contacts
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Wendy Boxall