The Victorian government have confirmed they will commit $1.5 million towards the master planning and design for the proposed Home of the Matildas facility at La Trobe University, Bundoora.
The facility will also serve as the future headquarters of Football Victoria, as well as being home to high performance programs for women, men, girls and boys.
FFA CEO James Johnson was excited about the state government’s announcement, which will kickstart the Women’s World Cup legacy project.
“I’d like to thank the Daniel Andrews’ government for committing to further investment for this Victorian base for the Westfield Matildas, following on from the $200,000 already provided to Football Victoria for a feasibility study.
“The Victorian government has again demonstrated its commitment to women’s football, following its support for our successful bid to co-host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, and with the Federal Government already having allocated $15 million, we very much looking forward to seeing the project progress.
“The importance of establishing a Home of the Matildas is articulated in the XI Principles for the future of Australian football (XI Principles), and it will help maximise the potential of hosting the world’s biggest sporting event for women in three years’ time.”
Matildas superstar Sam Kerr was looking forward to the construction of the world class facility.
“This is wonderful news for the Matildas and the prospect of having a state-of-the-art facility specifically designed for our use is very exciting,” she said.
“The team loves playing in Melbourne and we really look forward to having a dedicated base where we can train and prepare for matches.”
Former Socceroo Gary Cole believes the development will be “great for women and girls and also for the good of the game.”
Outgoing Football Victoria CEO Peter Filopoulos believes phase one of the project should be completed before the Women’s World Cup is held on our shores.
“If we have the first phase built in time for the 2023 World Cup it would give our girls the best chance of success.”
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