Football Victoria short-lists bidders for national Home of the Matildas

Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord

In a statement made this week, Football Victoria announced the short list of bidders to secure the rights to be the national home of Australia’s senior women’s squad, the Matildas.

The Matildas, now tearing it up in the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, have been in need of a permanent base for some time.

The short list includes La Trobe University’s Bundoora campus as well as the municipalities of Darebin, Casey, Brimbank and Maroondah.

The press release can be found below in full:

The establishment of the proposed national Home of the Matildas has moved a step closer with Football Victoria nominating five locations as the potential base for the state-of-the-art facility.

The short-list comprises the municipalities of Brimbank, Casey, Darebin, and Maroondah, along with La Trobe University as part of redevelopment plans at its Bundoora campus.

The process now moves into the next stage of discussions with the respective municipalities and/or landowners, as part of a feasibility study underway to determine the preferred location for what will also serve as the State Home of Football. Concept plans and cost estimates will be developed once a preferred site has been identified.

Football Victoria received $200,000 from the Victorian Government for the feasibility study, along with a $15 million commitment from the Federal Government towards construction.

Football Victoria CEO, Peter Filopoulos, said the sport would continue to work closely with governments at all levels to create a dedicated, world-class facility that would be a “game-changer for women’s football in Australia and across the Asia region”.

“Just as the Matildas are doing Australia proud on the world stage, it’s incumbent on us as a nation to provide them the high-performance home base that will help them stay at the forefront of international football and ensure the game keeps developing the stars of tomorrow”, he said.

Among a range of features, it is proposed that the Home of the Matildas would include elite training facilities to cater for the senior and emerging Matildas programs, including leading-edge medical and sports science facilities, strength and conditioning areas, an aquatic zone, indoor futsal facilities, and offices for FFA/FV technical staff. It is also proposed that the facility would house a training and education hub for non-playing roles including specialist programs for girls and women as coaches, referees and club administrators.

“The creation of a national Home of the Matildas will go a long way towards helping the game in Victoria meet our stated objective of 50:50 gender participation by 2027.”

Today’s announcement comes as the Westfield Matildas move to the knock-out stage of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. Football Federation Australia, with the support of the Commonwealth Government, is bidding to host the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

*ENDS*

Where would you like to see the Matildas call home/base of operations?

Feel free to discuss this on social media, it’s an interesting scenario, that’s for sure.

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Isabella Mossin awarded Ninja A-League Women Referee of the Year

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Image credit: Football NSW

The youngest recipient since its inception, Mossin will officially receive the award after leading the Ninja A-League Grand Final 2026 on Saturday.

 

A rapid rise

After debuting in 2023, Mossin has quickly proved quality, composure and confidence as a referee in the Ninja A-League.

As a result of the achievement, Mossin will be the appointed referee for this weekend’s Grand Final between Melbourne City FC and Wellington Phoenix.

After beginning in the North West Sydney Football Association, Mossin then honed her craft with the Football NSW Referee Academy, a journey with foundations truly embedded in youth development and grassroots football.

Thus, Mossin is not just am individual success story, but a symbol of what institutional investment and opportunities can do for young women looking for a pathway to the game.

 

Celebrating success

The plaudits, unsurprisngly, are arriving from across Australia’s football landscape, with many emphasising the incredible standards set by Mossin since her debut just three years ago.

“This award is testament to Isabella’s hard work and dedication to refereeing, and a great reflection of the next generation of referees coming through the system in Australia,” said A-Leagues CEO, Steve Rosich.

“At just 25 years of age, she has consistently demonstrated composure, leadership, strong decision-making and the ability to perform under pressure in some of the biggest matches in the competition,” highlighted Football Australia Head of Referees, Jon Moss.

“Having someone refereeing their first Ninja A-league Women’s Grand Final at the age of 25 years should inspire all girls and young women referees (and potential referees) and show them that age is not a barrier to talent being recognised within Football Australia refereeing,” said Chair of Football Australia Referee Committee, David Elleray.

Given Mossin’s reputation and experience already at the top level of women’s football in Australia, there is no doubt that she will rise to the occasion this Saturday.

Canada Soccer to begin new National Training Centre project

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Image credit: ACHPF / Shutterstock.com

Backed by the Government of Canada with an investment worth nearly AUD 10 million ($9,826,000), the project aims to establish a world-class facility for athletes, coaches and communities.

Building the sport and community

The investment comes as part of the Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF), an ambitious program of the Government of Canada which will provide AUD 51 billion ($51 billion) to infrastructure projects over 10 years.

However, the Canada Soccer Training Centre is one key project which will benefit from such substantial investment. But the project isn’t just for future players – it will help boost economic activity and create a facility built for excellence and growth.

“It is about creating a world-class sport facility where athletes can train and represent Canada at their best,” explained Secretary of State (Sport), Honourable Adam van Koeverden, via press release.

“From the playground to the podium, it is projects like this that provide athletes, coaches, local families and communities with vibrant, accessible spaces to fuel participation, connection, and a growing passion for sport.”

President of Canada Soccer, Peter Auguros, further expressed his gratitude for the investment and what it could bring future generations.

“This support reflects a shared belief in the power of sport to strengthen communities and develop the next generation of Canadian talent. We are proud to partner in building infrastructure that will benefit our athletes and help shape the future of the sport in Canada.”

 

Growth gains momentum

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 set to kick off in a few short weeks, Canada Soccer’s plan for a National Training Centre Project is symbolic of long-term vision.

The tournament is not a final flourish, but a stepping stone to accelerated growth.

And this is not a short-term setup.

As President of Concacaf and Vice-Preisdent of FIFA, Victori Montagliani explained, this is a project designed to survive for generations.

“The development of a National Training Centre in Canada represents an important legacy project for the country and it is always a positive sign when our members invest in infrastructure across the region.”

 

Final thoughts

The project, therefore, perfectly aligns a growing buzz for football across the region with intentional investment and ambition.

And although the action must eventually stop on the pitch, Canada Soccer are ensuring that growth continues long after the tournament’s final whistle.

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