Football Victoria looking to grow women’s football into the future

In a statement released on Monday, Football Victoria released a new report into the structure of Women and Girls’ football for the future.

The report is aimed at improving the gender balance in Victorian football, with the overall goal of a 50/50 balance by 2027.

The statement can be found below in full.

Football Victoria (FV) today released its independent final report following a comprehensive review into the Women and Girls’ competition structure for football in Victoria.

Tasked with delivering an enhanced football experience for all senior and junior players and a clear vision for the game, the review sought to identify the optimal structure for Women and Girls’ football in the state. It seeks to grow participation, provide the best pathways for junior development and identification and enhance the overall involvement of women and girls in the world game.

Endorsed by the FV Board, the final report covers key areas of improvement for the Women and Girls’ competitions and outlines 22 key recommendations. Its focus areas are football’s culture, players, referees, clubs, coaches, Government and other external stakeholders.

The recommendations are aligned to FV’s overall strategic direction and commitment to growing investment in Women and Girls’ football as we pursue our journey towards a 50:50 gender balance by 2027. Some of the report’s key recommendations include:

  1. Developing a bespoke Victorian Women and Girls’ overarching Football Strategy;
  2. Introducing single age-group competitions (e.g. separate U13s and U14s age-groups rather than current U13-14 combined age group);
  3. A proposed overhaul of Victoria’s Women’s Football Competition Structure;
  4. Methods to develop, retain and grow the number of women and girls in refereeing roles;
  5. Development of a standardised club induction toolkit and process outlining the roles, responsibilities and gender equity expectations for clubs, players, coaches and parents; and
  6. Further driving the push at local and state government levels for more “female friendly” facilities

The Football Competition Review was conducted by independent sports consultancy firm Sports Business Partners (SBP), who worked in collaboration with FV to undertake a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process led by a dedicated and independent Review Steering Committee.

The review’s Steering Committee comprised 26 dedicated and experienced representatives from all levels of the game and was chaired by the President of Women Sport Australia, Carol Fox. Ms. Fox expressed her sincere gratitude for the time and effort contributed by all Steering Committee members.

“The team comprised many talented individuals who brought wide-ranging expertise and knowledge from a variety of backgrounds,” Ms Fox said.

“The team was provided with the opportunity to ensure that all the key themes were discussed, to review areas that were operating well and identify key areas requiring change. It was a privilege to chair this group of experts,” she said.

FV Board Director, Sezar Jakupi, was pleased with the depth of stakeholder engagement, the quality of analysis SBP and the final recommendations.

“The review has seen significant engagement with our female participants in the game and has provided clear guidance to Football Victoria on the game’s challenges and how we can work together to overcome them,” Mr. Jakupi said.

The report’s recommendations will now move to the next phase of work to be completed with key stakeholders, with a view of implementing changes over the next few seasons.

The report also concludes the most comprehensive review ever conducted by Football Victoria into both the Men’s & Boys and Women & Girls competitions.

“Victoria is leading Australia with the proactive approach in reviewing and enhancing the competition structures for both women and girls as well as men and boys.  This requires a clear vision for the game and with the completion of both competition reviews, we believe that we have paved the way for the future which will deliver enhanced experiences for all participants as well as improved developmental outcomes.” Peter Filopoulos, FV CEO said.

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Inter Miami CF Welcomes Más+ by Messi as Hydration Partner

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Image credit: Shutterstock.com/YES Market Media

Inter Miami CF names Más+ by Messi as its Official Hydration Partner in a new partnership, the alliance ensures hydration for all players, from the Academy to the First Team, while introducing Más+ by Messi to fans at Chase Stadium.

This partnership adds to Lionel Messi’s growing commercial ventures as Inter Miami’s captain and football legend. Founded by Messi, Más+ by Messi provides balanced hydration with electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals, serving both elite athletes and everyday consumers.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF’s leadership underscored the partnership’s significance, emphasising its advantages for both players and fans. Messi shared his enthusiasm for the collaboration.

“It’s a huge honour and joy that Más+ by Messi is becoming a partner of Inter Miami. When working on this drink, we aimed to provide hydration not only for elite athletes but also for amateurs and anyone looking to stay properly hydrated in their daily lives, while also benefiting from electrolytes and vitamins,” he said via press release.

Más+ by Messi’s Executive Vice President, Rishi Daing highlighted the vital role of hydration for everyone.

“Players for Inter Miami understand how important hydration is to achieving their goals. Now everyone can benefit from the same hydration, whether they’re on the field, in the stands, or in everyday life. We’re proud to partner with Inter Miami to share the importance of everyday hydration,” he said via press release.

Más+ by Messi will be seamlessly integrated into Inter Miami’s matchday experience and training facilities:

  • On-Field Presence: Branded coolers and towels will be used during training and matches.
  • Academy Support: The brand will aid youth development, reflecting Messi’s dedication to nurturing young talent.
  • Matchday Access: Fans at Chase Stadium can enjoy all Más+ by Messi flavours, including the city-inspired “Miami Punch.”
  • Retail Expansion: Available at Publix, Inter Miami’s Official Grocery Partner.
  • Stadium Branding: Visible throughout Chase Stadium, including press conferences and fan engagement areas.

This partnership extends beyond standard sponsorship, with Más+ by Messi actively engaging Inter Miami fans through activations and promotions at Chase Stadium. The brand’s presence in the Fan Zone and Northwest Club will further enhance the fan experience.

As Inter Miami CF expands its commercial ventures, this collaboration blends sports performance, business strategy, and the growing impact of Lionel Messi’s personal brand.

Melbourne Victory’s brand-new infrastructure strategy

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Melbourne Victory & SEDA
Image Credit: Melbourne Victory website

A-League giant Melbourne Victory has revealed a brand-new extensive infrastructure strategy to foster and support tomorrow’s footballing stars.

The strategic infrastructure plan set out by Victory will aim to develop youth and women’s football programs by providing improved access to world class footballing facilities and player pathways across Victoria.

To achieve this, Melbourne Victory has opted for a campus model to enable players access to connected and consistent facilities across the North, East, South and West of Melbourne, all within an hour’s journey of Victory’s club administrative centre and the A-League Men’s training facilities at Gosch’s Paddock.

The club also intends to build another campus within the Melbourne city centre, with the first campus location to be announced by the club soon, as it continues to review and assess possible sites across the city.

Melbourne Victory Chairman, John Dovaston, explained why the club had chosen the campus model.

“The announcement of this project, and the direction taken, is aimed at ensuring we are best placed to attract and retain football talent across the State,” he said in a press release.

“Our innovative approach will allow us to have a number of campuses with not only an elite focus, but also, an eye on building our community to ensure that all Victorians have an opportunity to participate and engage in our game.”

Melbourne Victory Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the new infrastructure strategy was so important to the club.

“It is well understood that sport and football can influence social cohesion, and it’s our responsibility as a Club to establish infrastructure and programs that can positively impact members of the community, regardless of gender, background or location, whether that be through training the next generation of football stars, or using football as a vehicle to lead, unite, connect and inspire the community more broadly,” she said via press release.

“By enabling Victory to connect with communities across the North, South, East, and West of AAMI Park, our spiritual home, we can truly grow the Victory family and set new standards for elite facilities in our Pathway and community programs.”

The infrastructure project is an important move for the club, allowing it to grow, improve and future-proof its current suite of footballing programs. Currently, Victory operates nine elite and 23 pathway programs, providing services to over 16,000 participants across Victoria. Through the campus model, the club hopes it will be able to more efficiently develop the new generation of A-League and national team players.

“The priority is to provide not just an entry point for individuals to engage and participate in football, but to keep them engaged and provide a holistic journey to grow the Victory family across the State,” Carnegie continued.

“We are excited about the opportunities that the project can provide and the potential for growth for our Club and for football in the future.”

Melbourne Victory will continue to issue updates as it sets on the 5-year-plus journey to complete the entire project. For more information on the club’s major infrastructure strategy, access the plan HERE.

 

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