Football NSW reveal new Modular Sporting Facilities Guide

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Football NSW and Northern NSW Football have announced the release of its tenth facility guide, titled Modular Sporting Facilities.

The new guide joins the other nine in the series in assisting clubs, zones, associations and local councils in developing, upgrading and preserving community football facilities.

“The release of this Modular Facility Guide ties in perfectly with our recently published NSW Football Infrastructure Strategy. Inclusive Football Facilities is one of five key pillars in in our strategic framework,” Football NSW CEO Stuart Hodge said.

“With Women’s participation making up almost 25% of the total participants in NSW, we understand the need for more female friendly facilities. We have a FIFA Women’s World Cup in two and half years which will no doubt see the female numbers spike in the coming years.”

Northern NSW CEO David Eland further highlighted the importance of having guides such as this available for every club and association in the state.

“Our extensive state-wide audit highlighted that 23% of all football venues do not provide a player change room. Players of all age groups need a safe place to change no matter what sport you are participating in,” he said.

“Seventy-eight percent of player change rooms across NSW are not gender-neutral complaint. Our new Modular Facility Guide will provide clubs a fantastic opportunity to deliver modern, safe and compliant buildings for the future.”

Increasing female participation numbers in safe, inviting environments is a strategic priority of the NSW State Government, Football NSW, Northern NSW Football, and other local government authorities.

Within the guide there are six amenity building designs that are provided to clubs to showcase what can be achieved with modular buildings.

“We are proud to continue our support for the NSW football community through the release of this important guide,” said Jane Brisbane, General Manager Eastern Region for Ausco Modular.

“Ausco Modular is known for producing buildings which are sustainable, delivered quickly and tailored specifically for football by our in-house design team.

“We are excited to collaborate with clubs, associations, zones, Football NSW and Northern NSW Football on improving infrastructure throughout the state on an ongoing basis.

“Working with local sporting groups to provide facilities that benefit their community, particularly females participating in sport, promotes positive social engagement, and uplifting community interaction.”

The Modular Sporting Facilities Guide can be viewed here.

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Female Football Week kicks off across Northern NSW

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Female Football Week has officially begun across Northern NSW, with a program of gala days, networking events and awards ceremonies running until Sunday May 17, marking a ten-day celebration that organisers say reflects both the growth of women’s football in the region and the work still required to sustain it.

The national initiative, now a fixture on the football calendar, provides a dedicated period of visibility for female participants across all levels of the game from players, coaches, referees to volunteers, whose contributions have historically received less recognition than their male counterparts.

NNSWF Participation and Women’s Football Officer Serena Carter said the week offered something for everyone connected to women’s football in the region.

“Female Football Week provides a fantastic chance to highlight the dedication and skill of female players, coaches, referees and volunteers across the northern NSW community,” Carter said. “There’s something for everyone to enjoy, from grassroots participants to elite competitors.”

Women’s football in northern NSW spans remote and regional communities where clubs operate on limited resources, alongside more established metropolitan programs with clearer development pathways. Female Football Week creates a moment of shared recognition across that spectrum and acknowledges the role volunteers play, from running the canteen to progressing through the pathway.

Northern NSW Football has recorded some of its strongest participation numbers in women’s and girls’ football in recent seasons, a trend that has placed increasing pressure on clubs and facilities to keep pace. The week’s events offer clubs an opportunity to showcase their commitment to diversity and inclusion at a time when that commitment is being tested by growth.

Football NNSW Releases Infrastructure Strategies as Participation Growth Outpaces Facilities

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Northern NSW Football has unveiled bespoke infrastructure strategies for each of its seven member zones, providing an evidence-based roadmap for facility investment across the region as continued participation growth exposes critical gaps in the sporting infrastructure available to support it.

The Member Zone Infrastructure Strategies draw on data across participation rates, population growth and existing facility conditions to map what each zone has, what it needs and where investment will have the greatest impact. Identified gaps include drainage, lighting and inclusive changerooms – the foundational infrastructure that determines whether facilities are functional, safe and accessible year-round.

NNSWF Government Relations Manager Gary Fisher said the strategies represented a significant step toward smarter, more targeted investment across the region.

“By bringing together key data on participation, population growth and existing infrastructure, these strategies give us a stronger understanding of where the needs are greatest and where investment will have the most impact,” Fisher said. “Ultimately we want to create more inclusive and accessible environments for everyone involved in the game while building stronger, more sustainable clubs and communities for the future.”

Northern NSW Football has previously noted that participation across the region is at record levels and still rising, with women’s and girls’ football a significant driver of that growth. Infrastructure that was built for a smaller and less diverse participation base is increasingly unable to meet current demand, let alone accommodate future growth.

The strategies are also designed to strengthen NNSWF’s alignment with government funding priorities, providing the evidence base needed to support grant applications and long-term facility planning across all seven zones.

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