Brisbane Roar, in conjunction with the City of Moreton Bay Council, plans to open its new state-of-the-art football training facility in July this year.
The development of a new training precinct – the City of Moreton Bay Football Centre of Excellence – has been in the pipeline for nearly two years, but looks set to become a reality in Brisbane’s North.
Importantly, the new facility will bring its women’s and men’s A-League and NPL teams under one roof, in a move that will help increase club unity and enhance career pathways for its academy players.
The club is currently separated across the city, with its Liberty A-League side based at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre in Brisbane’s South, whilst its Isuzu UTE A-League side trains at Meakin Park – a further 20 minutes away.
As confirmed by both parties, some of the features will include:
- 5 training fields
- A main changeroom with amenities
- Gym, recovery, and physiotherapy rooms
- Kitchen, lounge, laundry and bathroom facilities
- Coaching offices and media rooms
- Private boom gate parking
The precinct brings with it the much anticipated Women’s Football Centre of Excellence, that aims to provide a unique experience for Brisbane’s current and future female stars.
Queensland continues to be a massive provider of talent for women’s football in Australia, evidenced to its full extent during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where Mackenzie Arnold, Clare Polkinghorne, Katrina Gorry, and Hayley Raso all represented the Matildas.
However, many of these players endured several moves around the country to develop their game as youngsters, evidencing the finite provision of local and national resources available to the women’s game.
With the new Women’s Centre of Excellence, Brisbane Roar are offering its future Katrina Gorry and Clare Polkinghorne not just a state-of-the-art facility, but stability and comfort in their football journey.
Brisbane Roar have been working closely with the City of Moreton Bay Council and are firmly focused on opening the facility ahead of the 2024/25 A Leagues season. Speaking at the ribbon-cutting event, Brisbane Roar Chairman & CEO, Kaz Patafta, was elated about what the club and the council is set to achieve.
“Brisbane Roar are thrilled to extend our collaboration with the City of Moreton Bay Council, marking a significant milestone with the development of a world-class football high-performance facility,” Patafta stated via media release.
“The club eagerly anticipates unifying our team and offering our players access to a premier, top-class training environment later this year.”
Council Mayor, Peter Flannery, is enthusiastic about the prospect of growing the women’s game in Brisbane.
“It’s great to see the Women’s Football Centre of Excellence being completed after a long journey. Although the fields aren’t quite ready for use, the Roar have begun fitting out the facility with their equipment in preparation for the 2024-25 season,” Mayor Flannery added via press release.
“This will be one of the leading dedicated women’s sporting facilities in the country once the fields are completed over the coming months.”
The Roar’s investment in state-of-the-art infrastructure is sure to have a noticeable effect on its football operations. It will also hope to encourage participation at local junior level, with the facility serving as a place of aspiration for young players.
