Major grant boost for women’s football in NSW

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NSW Government - Level the Playing Fund
Image credit: Football NSW

In a major win for women’s football growth in NSW, a $654,000 grant from the Federal Government has been awarded to support the ‘Play Our Way’ initiative for women and girls.

Football NSW’s ‘Empower Her’ project, focused on leadership, education, and inclusion for women in football, was among 120 grants awarded as part of the Federal Government’s $55 million scheme.

The grant will focus on three key areas—leadership, education, and inclusion—to attract, retain, and develop women in football. It will also support intersectional communities through initiatives like the NAIDOC Cup for First Nations youth and community sustainability efforts for priority groups via Football4All and the State Parafootball team.

Football NSW CEO, John Tsatsimas, mentioned the crucial role that the funding will have for Football NSW.

“The generous funding from the Federal Government will play a pivotal role in supporting Football NSW’s mission to expand and elevate female participation in football across the state, ensuring that more women and girls can thrive in the sport at every level,” he said via press release.

“Female football continues to soar following the incredible success of last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™.

“Over the past 12 months, female participation has surged by an impressive 23%, reflecting the growing enthusiasm and opportunities for women and girls in the sport.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Federal Government for their invaluable support. This funding will help us grow and create more opportunities for women and girls to participate in all facets of football across NSW.”

Sport Minister, Anika Wells, added her comments about the Play Our Way initiative.

“Play Our way is the single biggest package for women’s sport participation and facilities ever and these 120 projects will create greater opportunities for women and girls to enjoy being physically active,” she said via press release.

“The huge response to this grant opportunity, and the range of great project ideas, show that Australian communities want to be more supportive of women and girls.”

The grants are part of the participation stream, the first funding confirmed under the Albanese Government’s $200 million Play Our Way program.

A second phase of the Play Our Way program, focused on facility grants, will be confirmed soon.

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Football Queensland Welcomes Musco Lighting as Official Lighting Partner

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Image Credit: Musco.com

Football Queensland has welcomed Musco Lighting as its Official Lighting Partner, bringing world-class sports lighting expertise to football clubs and facilities across the state.

The partnership will support Football Queensland clubs as participation continues to grow across the state, helping communities access safer, higher-quality and more accessible football facilities.

Musco Lighting is a global leader in sports lighting, with more than 50 years of experience delivering lighting solutions across sporting venues worldwide. The company was also the first in the world to be certified by FIFA as a Preferred Provider for Floodlight Systems and provided lighting for 12 of the 16 stadiums used at the recent FIFA World Cup.

Through the new partnership, Football Queensland clubs will have access to Musco’s specialist expertise and solutions as they look to improve and develop their lighting infrastructure.

Football Queensland CEO Robert Cavallucci said the partnership represented an important step in supporting the continued growth of football across Queensland.

“I’m proud to see this partnership between Football Queensland and Musco come to life.

“With participation continuing to grow across Queensland, the need for quality football infrastructure has never been greater. This partnership will help our clubs access world-class lighting expertise to create safer, better and more accessible facilities for their communities.

The partnership provides an opportunity to combine Football Queensland’s extensive network across the state’s football community with Musco’s global expertise in sports lighting, supporting clubs as they continue to invest in facilities that meet the needs of their growing participation bases.

Football Queensland and Musco will work together to help clubs identify lighting solutions that can enhance facility quality and accessibility, supporting more opportunities for players and communities to participate in football.

Football Queensland Official Lighting Partner – Musco Lighting

With more than five decades of experience in sports lighting, Musco has delivered projects across some of the world’s most significant sporting venues and events.

The company’s FIFA Preferred Provider certification and involvement in the recent FIFA World Cup further demonstrates its expertise in delivering lighting systems to the highest international standards.

The partnership with Football Queensland will bring this expertise closer to Queensland’s football community, providing clubs with access to a specialist lighting partner as the game continues to grow across the state.

Premier League clubs approve new strategic partnership proposal with EFL

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The Premier League and its clubs have recently approved a funded proposal for a new long-term strategic partnership with the English Football League (EFL). The deal could deliver significant additional funding to clubs across the English football pyramid.

The proposal, approved on July 30, will now go to the EFL and its 72 member clubs for consideration. The agreement could begin from the 2026/27 season, subject to further discussions and approval.

The move follows years of debate over the distribution of Premier League revenues. It also comes as English football looks to establish a more sustainable financial settlement between the top flight and the EFL.

A new financial package

The Premier League has not released the full financial details of the proposal. Reporting from the BBC and Sky News indicates the package could provide an additional $2.86 billion (1.5 billion pounds) to EFL clubs over 10 years.

The agreement includes raising transfer levies from 4% to 6% and establishing a new lifeboat fund of $38 million (20 million pounds). This pool could be used to help any EFL club that goes into administration.

The funding would support clubs across the Championship, League One and League Two. It could also include dedicated investment to strengthen the wider football pyramid.

The Premier League confirmed in a statement it already commits $3 billion (1.6 billion pounds) every three years to the wider game and communities. The new proposal would significantly increase its financial support for the EFL.

EFL clubs to consider proposal

The EFL will now assess the proposal before presenting it to its member clubs. Those clubs will consider the financial benefits and wider implications of the agreement.

The proposed partnership would also operate within England’s wider football regulatory framework. The Independent Football Regulator has backstop powers if the leagues fail to reach an acceptable financial settlement.

The latest vote marks significant progress towards a new agreement between the Premier League and EFL. However, it does not complete the process.

Attention turns to final agreement

Negotiations over increased financial support for the EFL have continued for several years. The issue gained further importance after the financial difficulties clubs faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Premier League’s unanimous approval now shifts attention to the EFL and its member clubs. Discussions on a deal have been continuing as far back as 2021. It is critical that a deal is reached soon for English football.

Both sides must still agree on the final terms of the partnership. The process will determine how future funding reaches clubs and supports the wider English football pyramid.

For the EFL, the proposal offers the prospect of greater financial support. For the Premier League, it represents a major step towards a long-term settlement with the professional game below the top flight.

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