Blacktown City announce Walker as their new Principal Partner

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Image via Blacktown City FC

Blacktown City FC have announced a long-term partnership with the Walker Corporation to be their Principal Partner for the club’s National Premier League Men’s and Women’s sides.

Blacktown, the defending NPL NSW Men’s Champions, confirmed the partnership at their season launch for the upcoming NPL NSW season. Significantly, the club has reaffirmed that its new partnership with Walker stems from an alignment of philosophies and ambition to create a sporting icon for the city it represents.

“The Walker attitude of seeing an opportunity where others simply see a challenge, is the same vision we have to build on the reputation, history and culture Blacktown City FC has developed over our 70-year history,” Blacktown City FC Executive Chairman Bob Turner said.

“We could not ask for a better partner to support our future growth. The commitment of Walker to Western Sydney will not only stimulate the city of Blacktown, but their community spirit will lead to Blacktown City FC utilising its players and coaches to establish a free schools development programme with a goal to spread the Blacktown City FC word and find the next Matilda or Socceroo.”

Walker Corporation Executive Chairman, Lang Walker, expressed that his team is proud to continue its strong support for Western Sydney and its communities.

“Sport unites communities and that passion and drive from Blacktown City FC and its fans to be the best, aligns with what we stand for at Walker,” he said.

“Our goal is to help Western Sydney flourish with great communities and workplaces and to do that properly, it’s vital to invest in cultural, education and health outcomes across the region.”

At their season launch, Blacktown City FC also outlined their partnership with the new owners of Blacktown City Sports Centre, Momento Hospitality. CEO of Momento, Marcello Colosimo, has wasted little time since acquiring Lily’s Function Centre and Blacktown City FC’s home late last year. Renovations began immediately to revamp the facility to ‘The Star Hotel and Event Centre’. The Star will become the home for post-game celebrations and events for Blacktown City FC.

“We are excited to revamp both the function centre and stadium and with Blacktown City FC we have an ideal partner to profile both organisations,” stated Marcello Colosimo.

“Our philosophy is also to give back to the community and together we have developed a ‘Grass Roots Training Programme’ to provide first class training for those not fortunate enough to participate in NPL or SAP football. The goal is to identify potential talent and offer scholarships to the proven Blacktown breeding ground through Momento.”

In a further announcement, Momento has allowed Blacktown City FC to seek a naming rights partner for their home ground. Blacktown City FC and Momento confirmed that Landen Property Group has agreed to a long-term commitment for ‘Landen Stadium’.

With a portfolio of work across the state, Landen currently has three major projects in Blacktown. Sharing a similar philosophy to Walker and Momento to build and give back to a community, Landen Director, Rashed Panabig, said the company was honoured by the opportunity to contribute to the future of Blacktown City FC.

“Our culture and business are built around a shared vision to make a meaningful, positive change to the communities we serve, and we are delighted to have this chance to support this great sport and the people who love it.

“Blacktown is one of the most progressive areas of Sydney, and we’re excited to be part of its future.”

Blacktown City FC’s first home game for the 2023 season is Sunday, February 5 in a Grand Final replay against Manly – game time is 5pm. The Women commence their second season at the senior level at home on Sunday, March 12th against Marconi.

“We are delighted to be able to announce three main partnerships prior to the opening round of the 2023 season,” Turner said.

“Walker, Momento Hospitality, and Landen Property Group provide, not only financial support for Blacktown City FC, but the credibility three mainstream business groups offer to the wider corporate community to get on Board.”

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Football NSW announces 2026 First Nations Scholarships as pathway access program enters new phase

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Football NSW has announced the recipients of its 2026 First Nations Scholarships, with ten emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players from metropolitan and regional NSW receiving support designed to reduce the financial and structural barriers that have historically limited First Nations participation across the football pathway.

The scholarship program, developed and assessed in collaboration with the Football NSW Indigenous Advisory Group, targets players across both elite and development environments – recognising that talent identification alone is insufficient without the resources to support progression once players are identified.

Co-Chair of the Indigenous Advisory Group Bianca Dufty said the calibre of this year’s recipients reflected the depth of First Nations football talent across the state, and the importance of structured support in converting that talent into long-term participation.

“Their dedication to football and the desire to be role models for younger Aboriginal footballers in their communities is to be celebrated,” Dufty said. “I’m confident we will see some of these talented footballers in the A-League and national teams in the future.”

 

Beyond the pitch and into the pipeline

The 2026 cohort spans both metropolitan clubs and regional associations, an intentional distribution that acknowledges the particular barriers facing First Nations players outside major population centres, where access to development programs, qualified coaching and pathway competitions is more limited and the cost of participation more prohibitive.

The next phase of the program will introduce First Nations coaching scholarships, extending the initiative’s reach beyond playing pathways and into the coaching and administration pipeline – areas where Indigenous representation remains among the lowest in the game.

The structural logic is clear. Scholarships that reduce financial barriers at the entry point of elite pathways matter most when they are part of a sustained ecosystem of support rather than isolated gestures. Football NSW’s collaboration with the Indigenous Advisory Group provides that continuity, ensuring the program is shaped by the communities it is designed to serve.

Football NSW Targets Female Coaching Gap with Twin Programs

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Image Credit: Football NSW

Football NSW has announced two new initiatives targeting the development of female coaches and coach education tutors, backed by federal and state government funding, as the governing body moves to address the longstanding structural absence of women across all levels of coaching in the sport.

The Future Female Coaches Mentoring Program, funded through the NSW Office of Sport’s Empower Her program, will select six female coaches holding a minimum AFC B Diploma for a structured mentoring program beginning mid-year. Participants will be paired with experienced mentors and receive three in-person visits including real-time observation and feedback, alongside regular online development sessions throughout the season.

Separately, Football NSW has opened expressions of interest for its 2026/27 Female Coach Education Tutor (CET) Program, supported by the Australian Federal Government’s Play Our Way investment, targeting C Diploma holders who want to move into coach education delivery.

Together, the programs address two distinct but connected gaps in the women’s football coaching pipeline- the progression from active coach to elite-level practitioner, and the transition from practitioner to the tutors who shape how coaching is taught.

The Pipeline Problem

The structural underrepresentation of women in football coaching isn’t a new observation. It is a documented and persistent feature of the game at every level, from community clubs to national team environments. Female coaches remain a minority in pathway competitions, and female coach education tutors are even more so.

One current tutor in the program described the environment she encountered when she came through the system. “My experience coming through as a coach, there was no females on the courses as participants and there was no females running the courses either,” she said. “That kind of inspires me to be someone that can hopefully make other females feel comfortable and confident to want to become coaches.”

“It is really important to have female role models because it shows that there is an opportunity or pathway for females,” said one program participant. “Traditionally it has been a male-dominated area and to know that yes, you can do it as a passion or a side thing, or you can actually make a career of it if you want.”

Removing barriers at the point of entry

The mentoring program’s design reflects an understanding that formal accreditation alone is insufficient to retain and develop female coaches in high-performance environments. Access to experienced mentors, observation in live coaching contexts and ongoing reflective practice address the informal development gaps that credentials cannot fill.

“Learning happens through coaching in real environments, and we recognise our role in providing both stretch and support to high-potential coaches,” said Edward Ferguson, Football NSW Head of Football Development. “This program offers tailored mentoring that complements formal coach education and enhances effectiveness in practice.”

Hayley Todd, Football NSW Head of Womens and Schools Football, framed the initiative in terms of long-term system building rather than individual development. “Creating sustainable pathways for female coaches is a key priority,” she said. “This program supports their development while also providing valuable insight into what is required to progress from state competitions into national and international environments.”

The barriers the programs are designed to remove are clear. The cost of accreditation, lack of access to mentoring networks, the absence of welcoming environments in coaching courses and the scarcity of female role models at senior levels all compound one another in ways that make progression difficult regardless of ability or commitment.

“You want to try and remove as many barriers as possible,” said one tutor involved in the program. “If you can start to remove those barriers, you actually get to engage with the females more consistently and build their confidence and competence in that space.”

A system investing in itself

The timing of both announcements sits within a broader national moment for women’s football. The AFC Women’s Asian Cup, currently underway in Australia, has delivered record crowds and sustained visibility for the female game at the elite level. The programs announced this week operate at the other end of the pipeline – building the coaching infrastructure that will determine whether the players inspired by that visibility have qualified, experienced and representative coaches to develop them.

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