Football Federation Australia (FFA) has today announced a ground-breaking partnership with the ACT Government and Capital Football that will see the Caltex Socceroos and Westfield Matildas play international matches in Canberra and the development of a new ‘³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ of Football’ in the nation’s capital.
The whole football community in the ACT will benefit from the deal, reached after extensive discussions between the parties, and FFA Chief Executive David Gallop AM said he was delighted with the outcome.
“This exciting partnership will see the Caltex Socceroos play a FIFA World Cup Qualification match in Canberra, while our Westfield Matildas and Westfield Young Matildas will also play international matches in the nation’s capital. It’s a real boost for football fans in the ACT who’ll be able to witness their heroes first-hand, hopefully inspiring the next generation of Socceroos and Matildas.”
Community football will receive a major boost with a new ‘³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ of Football’ to be built at Throsby in the city’s north, as demand for the sport reaches record levels.
Gallop added “Football Federation Australia congratulates and thanks the ACT Government for this significant investment in football. This new facility will not only benefit the many thousands of football participants in the ACT, it has great significance at a national level, and will provide a state-of-the-art training base for our national teams, including the Westfield Matildas and the Caltex Socceroos.”
Football is the largest team sport in Canberra with nearly 40,000 registered outdoor participants, and the new facility will include multiple outdoor football fields, indoor futsal courts, office space for Capital Football staff and associated amenities.
Capital Football Chief Executive Phil Brown said he was delighted with agreement.
“This announcement represents a significant milestone for Capital Football and the sport more broadly in the ACT. The new ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ of Football will support a range of community and high-performance programs, both male and female, while also supporting our coaches, referees, volunteers and administrators. Importantly, the facility will provide a range of outdoor football fields and indoor futsal courts to assist in meeting the ongoing growth requirements for our sport.”
