Lightwood Park on the brink of hosting the world’s best

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Lightwood Park
Image credit: Football Tasmania

Lightwood Park, home to Kingborough Lions, has taken a massive step to confirm their chances of attaining base camp status by a visiting international team for the FIFA Women’s World Cup next year.

Lightwood Park will be among the 35 venues across Australia on FIFA’s Team Base Camp Shortlist, with participating members allowed to choose among them in the draw taking place next month.

Over $6 million worth of upgrades have been completed as part of Stage One upgrades at the facility. This includes preparing the venue to host international superstars and four new changing rooms ensuring Lightwood Park is a much more female-friendly venue.

Stage Two upgrades for Lightwood Park will include three referees rooms, a medical room, plus four additional changing rooms which will be part of the foundation of the new building complex.

Kingborough Lions have women’s and men’s teams competing in the top level of football competition in Tasmania, along with youth-level girls/boys teams and social teams that will benefit immensely for years to come.

Supplementary works for the facility include developing the playing surface and lighting, adhering to FIFA’s specifications has commenced and will be completed later this year.

Kingborough Lions President Brian Downes said via media release:

“Hosting some of the world’s best players at Lightwood Park is going to be immensely exciting for the club”.

“The upgrades at Lightwood Park will not give us the best chance of hosting the best international players during the world cup, but it will also ensure the venue will be able to accommodate the growing grassroots player base.

“The State and Federal Government support for the project will leave a tremendous legacy of having the tournament on our shores.”

Football Tasmania President Bob Gordon reiterated the facility would be a game-changer for football in Kingborough and Tasmania.

“Kingborough has led the way in showing what’s possible with passion and hard work, and there’s no doubt we’d love to see similar facilities in every corner of the state,” he added via press release.

“We’re delighted to see the new Lightwood Park takes shape, and we look forward to a rich future for the venue, from World Cup basecamps to A-League men’s and women’s training and matches after that.” 

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Manchester City Begins Work on New Women’s Training Facility

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Image Credit: Manchester City website

Manchester City is in the development stage of building the Manchester City Women’s team a new purpose-built training facility at the City Football Academy, known as the club’s training centre.

The project, valued at up to $20.5 million, is set to open next season and marks the latest chapter in the club’s ongoing investment in top-tier facilities for the team.

Once completed, the facility will include a hydrotherapy area, a high-performance gym, and a circular dressing room designed to enhance player development.

In addition to their purpose-built facility, the Women’s First Team will continue to benefit from being an integral part of the $409 million City Football Academy, allowing them to utilise the organisation’s extensive resources and expertise.

To mark the beginning of construction, club captain Alex Greenwood was joined by Managing Director Charlotte O’Neill, Director of Football Therese Sjögran, and Director of Performance Services Emma Deakin for the official groundbreaking ceremony.

Club Captain Alex Greenwood reflects on the current facilities at the club and her excitement for the new development that is on the rise.

“Right from the start we’ve been involved quite a lot so we could discuss what’s going to be in there and what’s necessary. From what I know the facilities are going to be the best, which is nothing short of what I expect. I’m excited to see how it’s going to look,” she said via press release.

The facility has been specifically tailored to meet the needs of the team, with extensive consultation undertaken during the planning phase, including input from First Team Multi-Disciplinary experts and members of the playing squad.

The 17,000-square-foot building has also been designed with future expansion in mind as the team continues to grow.

Managing Director at Manchester City Women Charlotte O’Neill commented on the new facility and the beginning of its construction.

“Over the past decade, the team has benefited from being a part of the high-performance environment here, working with some of the very coaches, practitioners and support staff, as well as accessing some of the best facilities,” she said via press release.

“But the time feels right for the team to move into our own purpose-built home, and we think we’ve designed something really special that will help us in our efforts to consistently challenge for major titles.”

The new facility reaffirms Manchester City’s commitment to women’s football, aiming for success and growth through providing an environment to support the team’s future ambitions.

AFC Youth Panel discusses future of player development in Asia

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Image Credit: AFC

Representatives of the Asian Football Confederation met online on Thursday for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Youth Panel. Through the virtual event, Member Association’s (MAs) shared their experiences of their youth systems for the 2024-25 term.

The panel was hosted with a key focus on identifying how to improve the developmental programmes of the 16–19-year-old age group. The meeting discussed ways to not just improve technical skill but also strengthen the mental resilience of players and increase the number of competitive matches they are playing.

 AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh explained why the confederation was focusing on the 16-19 age group.
“This age group is a formative stage where we are dealing with players in national youth teams and it’s a crucial stepping stone for talented youngsters who are at the threshold of pursuing the sport professionally,” he said via press release.
“We must be able to help them master techniques under pressure and develop a winning mentality, so it is imperative to provide them with expert guidance.”
Through the panel representatives also explored conversations on the need to properly prepare coaches for training developing professional youth by providing them with the skills and knowledge required to excel.
Additionally, the meeting presented updates on several high-profile AFC developmental programmes for participants. In particular, the panel highlighted the Triple-A Project, a programme designed to provide tailored support to MAs via continual summits, and the AFC’s ongoing research partnership with the University of Tsukuba, which aims to study elite youth systems across Asia.
To finalise the session, participants were informed of the AFC’s other technical programmes, especially the recent publication of the AFC Elite Youth Bulletin. The Bulletin presents a major step forward for youth development within the Confederation, as it stands as a handbook for MAs to use, highlighting the best initiatives and programmes other MAs across Asia have used to great effect.

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