Werribee City FC and Wyndham City Council ready for Moroccan World Cup flavour

Morocco Women's National Team

With the Women’s World Cup set to begin in just under 60 days’ time – areas and local clubs all around Australia and New Zealand are set to benefit from the monumental event.

Based in Werribee, Melbourne – the Moroccan Women’s National Football Team have selected Galvin Park Reserve as their training base for the upcoming Women’s World Cup.

Werribee City FC, who play their home games at Galvin Park Reserve, are already reaping the rewards of this outcome.

FIFA have invested $227,000 into the precinct, installing international standard LED Lighting on the main pitch as a part of the FIFA Training Site Infrastructure Grant program.

The club is thrilled to host the Moroccan side at their home ground and the Werribee area as a whole.

The Moroccan players are set to reside at Lancemore Mansion Hotel Werribee Park for their time in Melbourne.

“WCFC will be welcoming Morocco’s National Women’s Football team (Atlas Lionesses) where they will make their World Cup Debut,” a club statement read.

“The Atlas Lionesses will train at our fantastic venue while they prepare for and compete in the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

“This is an amazing opportunity for our entire club and all of our participants and the broader football community in Wyndham as we get to play an important part in a Football World Cup, one of the biggest sporting events in the world.

“Further to this, as part of the training base selection, FIFA have invested approximately $230,000 to install international standard lighting to our main pitch No.1 – with the new lighting enabling WCFC to play senior and U21 night matches.

“Congratulations to all involved and a huge thank you to everyone at Wyndham City Council who drove the entire process and provided WCFC with this fantastic opportunity.”

Wyndham City Council have recently completed a $3.8 million redevelopment of the pavilion at Galvin Park in 2021, which has left a lasting legacy for the local community there.

Wyndham City Mayor Cr Susan McIntyre expressed her delight for the Moroccan Women’s National Football Team to be based in the council area and claimed Wyndham itself is a made up of a “World Cup” type of community.

“We look forward to cheering the Morocco women’s national football team on, during the largest women’s sporting event on the planet, that showcases our region on a global stage,” she said.

“Our city is vibrant and diverse with more than 50 per cent of our residents born overseas coming from more than 160 different countries, we’re passionate about football and have the honour of being called home by Australia’s newest A-League Club, Western United FC.

“We are incredibly excited to inspire the next wave of spirited girls and boys who will commence their football journey across our nine community football clubs.”

Wyndham City’s Active City portfolio holder, Cr Peter Maynard, stated he was looking forward to the Moroccan Women’s national football team’s arrival in the coming days.

“It’s another milestone for football in Wyndham and marks an exciting year ahead, with the Regional Football Facility also on track for delivery later in 2023, further positioning Wyndham as the home of football in the west,” he said.

Western United is confident they will move into the Regional Football Facility out in Tarneit by July/August and begin to play A-League Women home matches out of their 5000-capacity training stadium by later in the year.

“Our city has much to offer visitors, located 30 minutes from the Melbourne CBD (with direct freeway access), Werribee is surrounded by natural beauty, with a stunning river, wetlands and coastal regions to explore and a cosmopolitan dining scene,” they said.

“Players, officials and fans will have the opportunity to explore our major attractions, including Werribee Park Mansion and the Werribee Open Range Zoo. that features many of Australia’s native animals.”

Morocco will be playing in their first ever Women’s World Cup later this year, playing games in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth against Germany, South Korea and Colombia.

A full list of the 32 Teams and their Team Base camps can be viewed here.

The 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will run from July 20 – August 20.

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FIFPRO Europe and UEFA sign MoU to enhance players’ influence

UEFA and FIFPRO Europe have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening players’ influence in European football governance.

As part of the agreement signed by both organisations’ leaders in Paris, a FIFPRO Europe representative will join UEFA’s executive committee starting May 2025.

UEFA has also pledged to consult FIFPRO Europe on decisions affecting players’ employment conditions and any competition reforms that could influence players’ workload.

Additionally, active players and player representatives will take part in a new UEFA Professional Players’ Advisory Forum, set to begin meeting next month to discuss solutions for collective challenges facing professional footballers in Europe.

This three-year MOU will grant footballers and their unions more influence over decisions impacting their work, including match calendar adjustments, playing conditions, and health and safety issues.

The agreement also establishes a framework for FIFPRO Europe and UEFA to work together on initiatives to advance women’s football, focusing on fair employment conditions and minimum standards.

The two organisations will also collaborate on medical research, player education, and awareness campaigns addressing doping and discrimination.

Additional collaboration areas include strengthening stakeholder dialogue at both national and European levels, exploring joint commercial opportunities involving player data and intellectual property rights, and offering support to players who are out of contract.

FIFPRO President, David Terrier, was full of positive thoughts regarding this agreement.

“This agreement is a hugely positive milestone for professional players across Europe. With player representation now anchored at UEFA’s highest level, we are securing a stronger voice for players where it matters most,” he said via press release.

“Our ongoing dialogue with UEFA is already yielding positive results, and this MoU will only strengthen our ability to shape a framework that will advance player welfare and ensure a healthier and more sustainable future for football, where the needs and rights of players shall always be at the forefront, both on and off the pitch.”

UEFA President, Aleksander Ceferin, is confident their relationship with FIFPRO will support the growth of football for all.

“This partnership represents a new era in our relationship with FIFPRO Europe. Players are at the heart of football, and their perspectives must shape the decisions taken,” he said via press release.

“By inviting them to join the UEFA Executive Committee, we are creating a more inclusive future for the game, one in which the topic of player welfare will be at the forefront. This is about making tangible strides to ensure football continues to grow for everyone.”

You can view the MOU here.

Football NSW Builds Female Leadership Pipeline

Football NSW’s Women in Football Leadership Program conducted a 2-day face-to-face workshop at the Pullman Sydney Olympic Park. Twenty-three curated female participants from football organisations across NSW attended the workshop. This is part of a larger 5-week leadership program that has developed over 100 female participants.

The program consisted of mixed training through In-person workshops, self-guided electronic learning and online webinars. Topics consisted of sports governance, conflict management, personality types and team dynamics.

Monarch Management and Monica Beazley facilitated the program; Beazley spoke on the importance and necessity for the workshop,

“When like-minded women come together, they create a network of support, rich in life experience and inspiration that can drive real change.”

The aims and aspirations of the program coincide with developing skills and growth, instilling confidence in women to pursue leadership roles and building networking opportunities for female support within the football industry. The program emphasises immediate skill growth and long-term leadership development.

The Football NSW’s Women in Football Leadership Program started in 2023 and the networking aspect of the program has remained key for the participants in sustaining successful partnerships and connections within the male-dominated industry.

“As the facilitator of the Football NSW Women in Football Leadership Conference, I witnessed first-hand how these connections ignite growth and encourage us all to push forward. The greatest takeaway for me was realising just how many talented women are already shaping this sport,” said Beazley.

Participants for the 2-day workshop were selected from governing bodies, football associations, NPL NSW clubs and referee branches.

Beazley noted the importance of female equality in leadership positions, “much work still lies ahead to ensure they feel equal, valued and truly at home in their clubs as leaders and change-makers.”

The entire 5-week program is funded by the NSW Football Legacy Fund and the NSW Government. Commitment to a 2025 renewal of the program shows institutional support to achieve women in leadership positions around football.

The program highlights an effort to increase women’s leadership and presence in football. The growing momentum of this program will continue and foster a positive culture for football.

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