W-League set for expansion ahead of 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

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The W-League is set to grow by three teams in time for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.

The Australian Professional Leagues announced plans for expansion to Australia’s premier women’s football competition, with Central Coast Mariners, Western United and Wellington Phoenix set to join ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, set to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

The expansion will be the competition’s first since 2015 when Melbourne City joined, with the exact timeline for the addition of these teams to be confirmed in the coming weeks by the APL, and will take the number of teams competing in the competition to 12.

Central Coast Mariners and Wellington Phoenix have aggressively pursued a W-League license for a number of years, whilst Western United, who joined the A-League in the last expansion of the men’s competition, have always earmarked their commitment to entering a team in the W-League as well.

The expansion means that the W-League Final Series will have an additional final – a Preliminary Final – which will reward teams finishing first and second with a ‘second chance’ on the road to the Grand Final.

Sarah Walsh, Head of Women’s Football at Football Australia, welcomed the news.

“Women and girls now have more choice than ever when it comes to selecting a sport to play in Australia. It’s imperative that Football continues to progress and evolve when it comes to providing greater access and opportunity for women and girls in football,” she said.

“With the W-League entering its 14th season and a commitment to broader expansion of the league, I am confident that we are taking the right steps forward as a game to ensure that football is the number one sport of choice for women and girls as we strive for 50:50 gender balance by 2027.

“Football has always provided women in football with a clear and accessible pathway to play for the Commonwealth Bank Matildas and junior women’s national teams. W-League expansion not only broadens these existing pathway opportunities, it additionally strengthens our national team aspirations for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 and beyond.”

The expansion will deliver greater commercial opportunities, as well as playing opportunities, for football in Australia, according to APL Managing Director Danny Townsend.

“This is just the beginning of a sustained investment programme in women’s football – we announced unbundling just 8-months ago, and are already bringing more games, more players, better broadcast, improved employment conditions and enhanced footballing pathways,” he said.

“We want to unleash football’s potential in Australia and this is a significant step forward in delivering the future that the game deserves.”

A long-term collective bargaining agreement was also announced, to be finalised between the APL and the Professional Football Association, much to the delight of PFA Co-CEO, Kate Gill.

“The expansion of the competition is an important step forward and illustrates the confidence in the women’s game and the solid foundations that have been built,” she said.

“The players have been vocal advocates for the growth of the competition and positively APL’s women’s football strategy will not only provide additional employment opportunities and match minutes for our talented players but delivers a healthy boost to the W-League in the lead up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.”

In addition to the new teams and expanded competition, the APL will also launch a new “Club Championship”.

The Club Championship will reward the club (not the team) with the most combined points at the end of the men’s and women’s seasons.

The new trophy is designed to bring together fans of the men’s and women’s games together.

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Beyond Old Trafford: How Manchester United’s new stadium could reshape an entire district

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Image Credit: Manchester United

Manchester United’s proposed new 100,000-seat stadium is more than a replacement for Old Trafford.

It’s the centrepiece of one of the most ambitious urban regeneration projects ever planned by a football club.

Unveiled in March by architects Foster + Partners, the concept would see a new stadium built adjacent to Old Trafford, just 350 metres from the existing ground.

Supported by Trafford Council, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation the proposed development aims to transform the area surrounding the stadium into a thriving mixed-use precinct featuring housing, commercial space, public transport improvements and new public amenities.

While the stadium dominated headlines, the broader vision is about much more than just football.

Once complete, the new venue would become the largest club football stadium in the UK, increasing capacity from around 74,000 to 100,000 spectators.

 

More than just a stadium

However, the stadium is only one piece of a much larger plan.

Foster + Partners vision includes new homes, offices, hotels, retail and hospitality spaces, green public areas and improved pedestrian links.

They believe this “mixed-use” destination will attract visitors throughout the year and create a “vibrant destination” for tourists and visitors from across the world.

The proposal also places a strong emphasis on sustainability, with plans for a walkable precinct supported by public transport, rainwater harvesting and renewable energy technologies integrated into the stadium’s distinctive canopy design.

 

A major economic opportunity

The broader regeneration has been positioned as a major economic opportunity for Greater Manchester.

An independent study conducted by Oxford Economics found that the stadium and regeneration project could contribute approximately $15 billion to the UK economy.

In addition, the project would also support around 92,000 jobs while creating more than 17,000 new homes and attracting an additional 1.8 million visitors yearly.

Those figures remain projections rather than guaranteed outcomes, but they have become central to the club’s case for the redevelopment.

 

Connecting United to a Wider European Trend

A key component of the proposal is improving transport connections around Old Trafford

The British Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the project as significant opportunity for the region, with investment in rail, Metrolink and surrounding infrastructure viewed as essential to unlocking the wider regeneration potential.

The plan also includes greater pedestrian accessibility, to integrate the stadium district with surrounding communities.

Manchester United’s proposal reflects a broader trend across Europe football.

Stadium developments are increasingly viewed as catalysts for urban renewal and economic development, rather than standalone sporting venues.

Projects such as Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Everton’s new waterfront home and Real Madrid’s redevelopment of the Bernabeu have demonstrated how modern stadiums can generate revenue through hospitality, entertainment and commercial activity beyond football.

 

Transforming Old Trafford

Despite support for the proposal, significant hurdles remain before construction can begin.

Funding arrangements, planning approvals and major infrastructure upgrades will all need to be finalised before construction can begin.

If delivered, the project would represent one of the largest football-led regeneration projects ever undertaken in the UK.

The project would transform not only where Manchester United plays, but how the wider Old Trafford district lives, works and grows.

Football Has the Audience. Does It Have the Commercial Strategy?

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Image Credit: One Nil Media

Soccerscene has launched Survey 4: Commercial Confidence in Football, calling on clubs, sponsors, governing bodies, commercial leaders and football industry professionals to assess whether the game is making the most of its enormous commercial potential.

Football has the audience, participation base and community reach to be one of Australia’s most powerful commercial platforms. But does the industry have the commercial strategy, professionalism and infrastructure required to turn that potential into sustainable growth?

That is the question at the centre of Soccerscene’s latest industry research.

The survey examines how attractive grassroots football is to potential commercial partners, what industry professionals believe is limiting football’s commercial potential, and whether clubs are presenting themselves professionally enough to sponsors.

It also explores what sponsors value most when engaging with football – from community reach and participation scale to brand alignment, values and purpose – as well as whether improved facilities could directly contribute to stronger sponsorship outcomes.

Is football fully capitalising on its commercial opportunity?

Football continues to provide brands with access to highly engaged communities across grassroots, community and elite environments. Yet the commercial landscape remains fragmented, with clubs operating with vastly different levels of resources, capability, governance, media infrastructure and commercial expertise.

Soccerscene’s survey is designed to capture the industry’s perspective on where the opportunities exist – and where football may be leaving commercial value on the table.

The research will look specifically at four key areas:

  • Commercial attractiveness – How attractive is grassroots football as a commercial partnership?
  • Commercial barriers – What is holding football back from reaching its full commercial potential?
  • Club professionalism – Are clubs presenting themselves effectively and professionally to sponsors?
  • Sponsor value – What are sponsors really looking for when they invest in football?

The survey also asks whether better facilities would have a direct impact on sponsorship outcomes, highlighting the potential relationship between infrastructure, commercial presentation and investment.

Have your say

Soccerscene is encouraging football clubs, sponsors, commercial professionals, governing bodies, administrators, media professionals and industry stakeholders to participate.

The findings will contribute to Soccerscene’s ongoing program of industry research, designed to provide a clearer picture of the challenges and opportunities facing football and the organisations operating within it.

Take the Survey: Commercial Confidence in Football

Complete the Commercial Confidence in Football Survey here

The survey will close on 30 August 2026 at midnight, with responses received before the deadline included in the final analysis.

Football has the audience. The question is whether it has the commercial strategy to match.

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