
Football Tasmania have confirmed that all senior football competitions in the state will restart by July.
Round of 16 fixtures for the Women’s Statewide Cup, Under 20 Cup and Lakoseljac Cup will be played on the weekend beginning July 11.
The National Premier Leagues (NPL) Tasmania and Women’s Super League (WSL) will then start the following week on July 18, alongside the Northern and Southern Championships.
Football Tasmania CEO Matt Bulkeley stated the return of all competitions were locked in, with around $300,000 worth of financial relief spread across all clubs and associations in Tasmania.
“Rebooting football has taken a lot of hard work, dedication and commitment from the entire Tasmanian football family and to be able to welcome around 12,000 players – from juniors to seniors – back onto the pitch next month will be a great reward for everyone,” Bulkeley said.
The NPL Tasmania will have a shortened 14-week season, with the Women’s Super League running for 15 weeks.
The senior competitions are planned to finish near the end of October.
Bulkeley claimed his organisation was prepared to assist clubs financially, but reassured the football community that senior competitions could now be financially viable.
As per the easing of the Tasmanian Government restrictions, up to 500 spectators are allowed to attend a match.
“Football Tasmania advocated strongly for an early return to football training, spectators at games as well as funding support from the State Government. These outcomes have put our organisation in a much stronger position to be able to provide financial assistance to our clubs and associations,” he explained.
“By reducing our NPL licence fees, team nomination, referee and player registration fees, we are helping offset some of the challenges and ensure as many footballers as possible are able to get onto the pitch this year to enjoy the health and social benefits of the World Game in Tasmania.
“We recognise that while clubs and associations have been doing their utmost to forecast the full impact of COVID-19, the situation is changeable and we may still face a tough time. With this in mind, Football Tasmania stands ready to provide extra support to clubs should they find themselves in financial difficulty this year and beyond.”