Northern NSW Football welcomes $50 million funding boost for women’s sport

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Northern NSW Football have welcomed a $50 million funding announcement from the State Government, which will see sporting facilities across regional NSW benefit from new and improved women’s change rooms and amenities.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro and Acting Minister for Sport Geoff Lee yesterday announced the funding will come out of the government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund.

Northern NSW Football CEO David Eland explained the funding would be extremely beneficial for the world game.

“The NSW Government’s announcement that up to $50 million from the Stronger Country Communities Fund has been reserved to specifically improve women’s sporting facilities in regional NSW is a huge boost for the state’s largest club-based sport,” he said.

“Community facilities throughout northern NSW are bursting at the seams and we have been and continue to be focused on building capacity for the game, particularly in the area of women’s facilities.

“Northern NSW Football teamed up with Football NSW to develop a comprehensive State Infrastructure Strategy which identified and supported the acute need to increase the number of facilities for women to use.

“We’ve identified this need for many years with the ever-increasing registrations of females in the game, which is why we addressed the need in our 2021-2023 Strategic Plan.”

Mr Barilaro said a lack of adequate facilities for women in sport was a significant barrier in developing the next generation of female sporting stars.

“Women have been flying the flag for Australian sport with our international teams achieving incredible status on the world platform and many of these athletes come from regional communities,” he said.

“Too many women participating in local soccer, AFL, rugby or cricket matches in rural and regional locations don’t have access to suitable changing facilities so the NSW government has committed this funding to level the playing field.

“Access to designated female change rooms will be of huge benefit to our future Matildas, Opals, Hockeyroos, Jillaroos and Wallaroos, as well as local athletes.”

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Philip Panas is a sports journalist with Soccerscene. He reports widely on football policy and industry matters, drawing on his knowledge and passion of the game.

Melbourne City FC and Tarneit United to promote grassroots growth

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Tarneit United and Melbourne City
Image credit: Tarneit United

Melbourne City FC announced that Tarneit United Soccer Club are a Macca’s City Clubs Platinum Partner for the current 2023/24 A-Leagues season.

Melbourne City have used their partnership with McDonald’s Australia to create The Macca’s City Clubs program. This program aims to engage junior grassroots football clubs across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria with the aim to help grow football on and off the pitch.

The club seek to create purposeful long-term relationships with every club they work with and make a huge impact on the development and participation numbers of the sport.

It was originally launched in the 2021/22 A-Leagues season, and the club continues to grow the club network utilising this amazing program every season.

There are plenty of benefits for Tarneit United SC that come out of this partnership including “Coach the Coach” workshops led by our experienced Melbourne City coaches, player meet and greets, and the opportunity to take part in exclusive matchday experiences and offers.

Tarneit United President, Burhan Farah explained why this partnership would benefit the members of the club greatly.

“Tarneit United is in the heart of the west and we’re excited to partner with the best A-League club in the country. Farah mentioned in a Melbourne City press release

“A love for football is our number one driver, and by aligning our club with Melbourne City FC, we hope to inspire our coaches and players to continue to grow our game in the community.

“It’s an honour to be a Macca’s City Club Platinum Partner and we look forward to supporting Melbourne City from the stands this season.”

Melbourne City FC CEO, Brad Rowse explained the importance of growing grassroots football in Victoria.

“We’re delighted to welcome Tarneit United to the Macca’s City Club program on the eve of the 2023/24 A-Leagues season. Rowse added in a club press release.

“Supporting grassroots football is important to us at Melbourne City FC, and with the addition of Tarneit United, we now have thirteen Macca’s City Club Platinum Partners stretching right across Melbourne.

“We’re incredibly excited to partner with Tarneit United and can’t wait to give their participants plenty of unforgettable experiences and opportunities in the years ahead.”

Melbourne City through their Football School and Maccas City Clubs programs have set a standard for the other teams in the league to hopefully follow in the near future.

The importance of setting a fantastic grassroots foundation of football in the country can never be undermined and this partnership provides another great example of it.

PSG eyeing huge Parc des Princes redevelopment

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Parc des Princes revamp
Image credit: Zakarie Faibis via Wikimedia Commons

Despite uncertainties over its future at the 48,000-capacity Parc des Princes, Paris Saint-Germain is continuing to investigate possibilities for significant redevelopment work.

According to the French publication L’Équipe, PSG is considering putting a roof and a retractable pitch to the Parc des Princes as part of an ambitious expansion proposal. The stadium is owned by the City Council of Paris, and any substantial renovations would need PSG to buy the site.

PSG has many possibilities on the table, according to L’Équipe, and the club is still interested in purchasing the Stade de France. PSG must submit an offer to purchase the Stade de France by January 3.

PSG held a survey with its supporters in March about the club’s stadium alternatives, outlining four ideas. A “significant” refurbishment of the Parc des Princes, a shift to a restored Stade de France, a new stadium to the west of Paris, and a new site within a 20 kilometre radius of the Parc des Princes that may include the town of Poissy were all possibilities.

If the team is unable to execute a deal to buy the Parc des Princes, it may attempt to buy the Stade de France or relocate to one of two new locations in the city.

The French government presently owns the Stade de France through the Consortium Stade de France. In 1995, the state handed the two corporations control of the 77,083-capacity stadium under a deal with the partnership created by construction firms Vinci and Bouygues.

The agreement between Vinci and Bouygues will expire on July 1, 2025. The cost of acquiring the facility is estimated to be over $657 million, with additional expenditure necessary to transform it to the demands of a football club.

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