Football Victoria Celebrates Construction Start on Gippsland Sports & Entertainment Park Redevelopment

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Credit: Development Victoria

Football Victoria welcomes the start of construction on the Gippsland Sports & Entertainment Park redevelopment, a major boost for football in the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland, funded by the Victorian Government’s Regional Sports Infrastructure Program.

Construction getting underway with head contractor Building Engineering marks a major milestone in creating a modern, inclusive, and top-quality home for football in the region.

Lachlan Cole, FV’s Head of Government Relations & Strategy, said the upgraded Gippsland Sports & Entertainment Park is a flagship project that will provide local clubs and the wider Latrobe Valley football community with top-quality facilities and boost Gippsland’s ability to host regional tournaments and events.

“This is a crown jewel project for regional football in Victoria,” he said in a press release

“The upgraded Gippsland Sports & Entertainment Park will ensure that local clubs like Falcons 2000, Gippsland United FC and the wider Latrobe Valley football community have the facilities they deserve to grow and thrive, while strengthens Gippsland’s capacity to host regional tournaments and showcase events.”

The GSEP site holds a special place in Victoria’s football history, from the proud legacy of the former Morwell Falcons SC in the old NSL, to the lasting impact of the late Don Di Fabrizio OAM, a respected community figure who led the club as president from 1969 to 1994 and served as a Commissioner for the Australian Soccer Federation (ASF).

In honour of his legacy, the new grandstand pavilion will continue to carry Di Fabrizio’s name, acknowledging his significant contributions to the local football community.

The redevelopment will feature a new grandstand pavilion with accessible change rooms and facilities, upgraded pitches with improved lighting, a new change facility, and expanded parking. The project is also expected to boost the local economy through job creation and new opportunities for local businesses during and after the construction phase.

Cole also stated that Football Victoria is proud to partner with the government and the local football community on this upgrade, and thanked key ministers and agencies whose support has been vital in getting the project underway.

“Football Victoria is proud to partner with key government stakeholders and the local football community on this transformative upgrade,” he said.

“We thank Minister Shing, Minister Spence, and the Allan Labor Government for their continued investment in football and regional sport infrastructure.

“The vision and support of Sport and Recreation Victoria, Development Victoria, and Latrobe City Council has been instrumental in getting this project off the ground.”

The upgraded precinct will remain a central hub for the Latrobe Valley Soccer League, the Gippsland Referees Branch, and the next generation of regional football talent, supporting both community football and Football Victoria pathways and events.

Football Victoria looks forward to the project’s completion in late 2026 and the lasting impact this investment will have on Gippsland football for years to come.

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FCA to Host Exclusive Two-Part Goalscoring Workshop Series with Dr Ron Smith

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Image Credit: box2box

One of Australian football’s most respected coaching minds shares decades of research ahead of the FIFA Men’s World Cup.

Football Coaches Australia (FCA) has announced an exclusive two-part coach education series featuring renowned coach educator and football analyst Dr Ron Smith, offering coaches a rare opportunity to explore the evolving science of goalscoring through the lens of one of Australia’s most influential football thinkers.

The online workshops, scheduled for June 1 and June 8, will examine the historical development, modern trends and future direction of goalscoring in football, drawing on extensive research that formed the foundation of Dr Smith’s doctoral studies.

For FCA, the sessions represent the culmination of more than a year of planning and provide a timely opportunity for coaches to deepen their understanding of attacking play ahead of the FIFA Men’s World Cup.

“Ron’s work on goalscoring has been years in the making and continues to evolve,” FCA President Ian Greener said.

“We felt there was no better time to bring this knowledge to the coaching community than in the lead-up to the World Cup, when coaches around the world will be analysing the game’s best teams and players.”

Across the two sessions, Dr Smith will present findings from his extensive research into goalscoring patterns and trends, examining how the game has changed over time and what coaches can learn from football’s biggest tournaments.

Topics covered throughout the series will include:

  • Historical analysis of goalscoring trends
  • How goalscoring has evolved in the modern game
  • Key patterns identified through Dr Smith’s research
  • Scoring trends across the last six FIFA Men’s World Cups
  • Comparisons between men’s and women’s World Cup tournaments
  • The role of pressing, transition moments and direct play in creating goals
  • Practical coaching implications for improving attacking performance

The two-part structure has been intentionally designed to build upon itself. Session One will focus on the evidence, data and research underpinning Dr Smith’s findings, while Session Two will explore the practical applications and coaching interventions that can emerge from that analysis.

Football Australia has accredited both workshops with one Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hour each, allowing coaches to earn two CPD hours by attending both sessions.

Dr Smith’s coaching and coach education credentials span decades. He has worked extensively with Football Australia, the Australian Institute of Sport and the Socceroos, while also holding coaching roles internationally in Iceland and Malaysia, as well as within the A-League.

His contributions to coach development have helped shape generations of Australian coaches, making this series a valuable opportunity for coaches across all levels of the game.

Event Details

History and Future of Goalscoring – Session One
Date: Monday, June 1, 2026
Time: 7:30pm AEST
Format: Online
CPD: 1 Football Australia-accredited CPD hour

Following the completion of the FIFA Men’s World Cup, FCA is also planning a special panel discussion featuring leading Australian and international coaching voices to analyse the key tactical developments, trends and lessons emerging from the tournament.

Further details regarding that event are expected to be released later this year.

FCA members can attend the workshops free of charge, while guest registrations are available through Eventbrite.

Football NSW calls on clubs to Make It Red for Heart Health Round

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Image Credit: Shutterstock

Football NSW is calling on clubs and associations across the state to register for the 2026 Make It Red campaign, joining a national awareness movement aimed at reducing heart-related deaths on sporting grounds ahead of Heart Health Round on the weekend of June 5 to 7.

The campaign, developed by the Heartbeat of Football Foundation, asks sporting clubs to wear red, raise funds and build awareness around heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest, which is the leading single cause of disease burden and death in Australia for both men and women, and one that health authorities say is largely preventable through modifiable risk factors.

The call to action comes as the Foundation continues its work to map and register Automated External Defibrillators across NSW sporting facilities, a project that has already engaged twelve football associations and fed data into both the NSW Ambulance GoodSAM registry and NSW Health’s public AED map. The availability of a functioning, registered AED on site is among the most significant determinants of survival following sudden cardiac arrest, with survival rates declining sharply for every minute without defibrillation.

Football NSW is encouraging clubs to engage with the campaign across three areas. Clubs can register for the Make It Red campaign to help fund research, education and prevention programs. Participants, particularly those aged over 35, are encouraged to seek a free heart health screening test from their local GP or enquire about hosting a Heartbeat of Football testing day. Clubs are also urged to ensure their grounds have active, accessible AEDs in place, with guidance available through Football NSW’s Rescue Ready Guide.

The Make It Red campaign runs from June 5 to July 12, with Heart Health Round taking place across the opening weekend. Clubs can register and access participation resources at makeitred.org.

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