SC Braga begin construction on new stadium to complete long-term ‘Sports City’ project

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Primeira Liga football club SC Braga have officially started works for the construction of Estádio Centenário, a new 2,600-seat stadium that will serve as the home of its women’s team and Men’s B team, and is scheduled to be completed at the beginning of the 2024/25 season. 

Features of the stadium complex include a 250-space car park, four changing rooms, a medical department, gym, first-aid room, anti-doping room, work rooms, a press room, a tribune dedicated to social communication and LED lighting of 1,400 lux, which makes it possible to hold games at night. 

The Centenario Stadium – which has been planned and mapped out since 2017 – will be the final step in completing the ambitious infrastructural two-phase ‘Sports City’ project made by SC Braga. 

The stadium is a part of ‘Phase 1’ which involves building a large-scale Training Centre consisting of nine training fields with two of them qualified to host official matches as well as a beach soccer field in addition to the Centenario Stadium.  

The 2nd phase of ‘Cidade Desportiva’ – which is soon to be completed – will involve the 250-space underground car park, a residential area space for the professional teams, and the opening of the SC Braga museum in January 2025 to recognise the club’s rich culture and history.  

With these upgrades and new complexes inside the Sports city, SC Braga are taking a step in the right direction for their future as a club on and off the pitch.  

They hope to create a system which encourages young male players and senior women players to get involved with the club as well as improve facilities for the first team. 

Whilst the first team will still play its home matches at the Estádio Municipal de Braga with a 30,000 seat capacity, the goal of this ‘Sports City’ complex and the Centenario Stadium was to shift their focus on expanding the club as a brand and to become a more complete football club involving academies and the women’s team.  

With a long-term plan committed to and completed, as well as a strong 78-point third place finish in the league last season, Braga’s hopeful rise to the peak of Liga Portugal’s summit could be sooner than ever before for the historic club.  

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Spain’s Liga F receives history-making investment into women’s football

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The deal, worth AUD 91 million (€55 million) across four seasons, represents a monumental investment into Liga F and women’s football by Gasol16 Ventures and Fortified Partners.

 

Setting the pace

The investment comes as a hugely signficant moment in the history of women’s football not just in Spain, but across Europe.

But, given Spain’s commitment to growing the women’s game in recent years (and the world-beating teams it produces as a result), it is hardly a surprise that Liga F is at the centre of this milestone.

In the 2024-25 season, Liga F distributed AUD 28 million to its clubs, as well as doubling television audiences across two years.

The rate of growth is astounding, and shows no signs of slowing down.

“Women’s football in Spain has made a spectacular leap in recent years: audiences have almost doubled in two seasons, and stadiums are incresingly full,” explained Founder and President of Gasol16 Ventures, Pau Gasol.

“Therefore, this is not a sentimental commitment to women’s sport. It is an investment decision based on data, market trends, and the conviction that women’s football represents a growth opportunity with enormous potential for value creation.”

Thus, Gasol’s motivation reveals much about his own reasons for investing, as well as about the current status of women’s football in Spain.

The landscape does not want, or need, sentimental commitment. It is a financial and sporting powerhouse in its own right, and one which can grow to new heights year-on-year.

 

Securing a successful future

Furthermore, the long-term nature of the deal (set for the next four seasons from the 2026-27 campaign) shows vision and ambition for what the league can become.

“This agreement allows us to look further ahead and equip ourselves with the necessary tools to continue building an increasingly strong, more competitive league with greater capacity to generate value for our clubs,” outlined President of Liga F Beatriz Álvarez Mesa.

“What excites me most about this alliance is not just the investment it brings, but the message it sends: there are people and institutions who believe in the potential of Liga F and want to be part of its growth.”

 

Final thoughts

This is in stark contrast to the current situation of the A League Women in Australia, which PFA Chief Executive Beua Busch described as at a “tipping point”.

The problems remain the same as they were several years ago. Investment, player satisfaction and attendances are well below other major leagues. The key is creating a product which presents the immense value of clubs, players and commercial opportunities.

Because when intentional investment comes, the question stops being ‘who will invest?’ but ‘who wouldn’t?’ .

Juan Mata Commits to Melbourne Victory’s Future with Ownership Stake

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Melbourne Victory has announced that Spanish football icon Juan Mata has joined the club’s ownership group, marking one of the most significant investment moves by a current international footballer in Australian football history.

The agreement sees Mata acquire an ownership stake in Victory while continuing to weigh up whether he will extend his playing career beyond the 2025/26 A-League Men’s season. The investment is separate from any future playing contract and reflects a long-term commitment to both the club and the wider Australian football landscape.

Should Mata eventually retire from professional football, he will also take on a leadership role by chairing a newly established football committee at Melbourne Victory, helping shape the club’s football operations and strategic direction.

More than another football investment

While former elite players have increasingly entered football ownership around the world, Mata’s decision stands apart because he is investing directly into the club he currently represents.

The move places Melbourne Victory among a growing list of clubs benefiting from investment by globally recognised football figures. However, unlike celebrity ownership groups where players often become passive investors after retirement, Mata is embedding himself within the club while still competing at the highest domestic level.

Commercial terms of the transaction remain confidential, although the investment has been described as a significant long-term minority stake designed to strengthen the partnership between Mata and the club well beyond his playing career.

A vote of confidence in Australian football

Perhaps the most significant aspect of the announcement is what it says about the perception of Australian football internationally.

After arriving in Australia following spells with some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Manchester United, Chelsea and Valencia, few would have predicted that Mata would choose to invest his own capital into an A-League club.

Instead, the 2010 FIFA World Cup winner has described Australian football as a competition with genuine long-term potential.

“Australian football has a future I genuinely believe in,” Mata said.

“From the moment I arrived at Melbourne Victory, I’ve felt the passion of this club and the potential of the A-Leagues, and I want to be part of building what comes next—not just for a season, but for the long term.”

Mata added that becoming a shareholder represented “the natural next step” after enjoying his first season at Victory.

Rewarding an outstanding first season

The investment follows what has been one of the finest individual campaigns by a marquee player in recent A-League history.

The 38-year-old registered five goals and 13 assists across 25 appearances during the 2025/26 season, earning the Johnny Warren Medal as the league’s best player while also claiming Melbourne Victory’s Player of the Year honours. His performances helped guide Victory back into the Finals Series and demonstrated that his influence extends far beyond his reputation.

Rather than treating Australia as a final destination before retirement, Mata has instead become increasingly involved in shaping the game’s future.

A growing portfolio of sporting investments

Melbourne Victory is not Mata’s first venture into sports ownership.

The Spaniard already holds ownership interests in Major League Soccer expansion club San Diego FC and Formula One outfit Alpine Racing. He has also invested in Mercury/13, the multi-club ownership group focused on developing women’s football globally.

These investments reflect a broader trend among modern footballers who are leveraging their experience and networks beyond their playing careers. For Melbourne Victory, securing someone with Mata’s global football knowledge, commercial experience and international connections represents an opportunity that extends well beyond the pitch.

Landmark moment for Melbourne Victory

Victory Chairman John Dovaston described Mata’s investment as a significant endorsement of both the club and the A-Leagues.

According to Dovaston, Mata is a discerning investor with stakes in elite sporting organisations worldwide, making his decision to back Melbourne Victory a strong signal of confidence in the club’s direction and the league’s future.

Managing Director Caroline Carnegie echoed those sentiments, describing the announcement as “genuinely groundbreaking” and highlighting Mata’s combination of world-class football intelligence, investor mindset and long-term commitment.

A statement beyond Melbourne

Australian football has long sought greater international credibility. Not only through marquee signings, but through meaningful long-term investment.

Mata’s decision represents something arguably more valuable than a headline player signing. By committing financially to Melbourne Victory, he is effectively betting on the future growth of both the club and the A-Leagues.

At a time when Australian football continues to pursue increased investment, stronger governance and greater global relevance, having one of the game’s most respected figures choose to become an owner may ultimately prove to be one of the competition’s most powerful endorsements.

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