Football Victoria today welcomes the Victorian Government’s 2021 Budget commitment of $3.8 million for 11 community football facilities across the state as part of this year’s World Game Facilities Fund.
This year - the third edition of the fund - saw a particular focus on improving facilities for women and girls, including female-friendly upgrades to pavilions, plus lighting and pitch upgrades at clubs who are committed to bringing more women and girls into the sport.
More than 456,000 women, men, girls and boys were registered to play football before the pandemic - 97% of which have returned to the game in 2021 - and grants such as The World Game Facilities Fund will assist football clubs retain players and attract new participants.
The list of projects to receive funding in 2021 are:
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New female-friendly change rooms at the home of the Diamond Valley Soccer Club – Partington Flats in Greensborough.
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A female-friendly pavilion upgrade at the home of FC Leopold – Estuary Reserve, Leopold
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A pavilion upgrade and new lighting at the home of Yarra Valley Soccer Club – Millgrove Reserve, Millgrove
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A female-friendly pavilion upgrade at the home of Phillip Island Breakers Soccer Club – Newhaven Reserve
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A new pavilion at the home of the Victoria Park Soccer Club – Victoria Park, Newington
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New lighting at the home of the Darebin Falcons Women’s Sports Club and Northern Falcons Soccer Club – GH Mott Reserve, Preston
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A new female-friendly pavilion at the home of Box Hill United – Sparks West Reserve, Box Hill
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A new pitch and lighting at Mt Eliza Soccer Club’s home – Emil Madsen Reserve
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Lighting upgrades at the home of Manningham United Blues FC – Timber Ridge Reserve, Doncaster
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New pitches and lighting at the home of Bacchus Marsh Soccer Club – Bacchus Marsh Racecourse Recreation Reserve
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New female-friendly pavilion upgrades at the home of Corio Soccer Club – Hume Reserve.
Since 2018, the Fund has invested $13.2 million in 48 significant infrastructure projects with a total value of more than $41 million.
The next round of the $20 million World Game Facilities Fund will open for applications in August 2021.
Football Victoria CEO Kimon Taliadoros welcomed the latest instalment of the funding and said it was pleasing that so many participants would benefit from the upgrades.
“We’re thrilled to see this investment in football facilities, and particularly so many facilities focusing on women and girls,” he said.
“Football Victoria has a stated ambition to have 50-50 gender participation by 2027 but we won’t get there without investment in adequate infrastructure, including pavilions, change rooms, lighting and pitches.”
“We thank the Victorian Government for their ongoing investment for football via The World Game Facilities Fund.”
“The previous editions of the Fund have already had a tremendous impact on improved facilities right across the state and we look forward to these 11 projects being rolled out later this year.”