Sydney FC’s current A-League Women’s home venue is to get a $40 million upgrade to its facilities, ensuring the safety and comfort for competitors and fans into the future.
The $40 million investment upgrades includes new female-friendly change rooms, increased seating capacity of 3,000 and a new northern grandstand.
Sky Blues Chief Executive Mark Aubrey will be invited onto the design phase committee to help ensure Sydney FC’s Women’s players and Members are catered for.
“It’s great to be involved in the design phase of the upgrade as we continue to build Sydney FC and our Women’s game, and work towards a stable home ground for Sydney FC’s Women,” he said.
“Our Women’s crowds last season totalled over 50,000 and our semi-final had 7,000 fans inside the ground which shows there’s a huge appetite for Women’s sport so this injection of funds is very welcome.”
Sydney FC Captain Natalie Tobin, and star players Princess Ibini and Mackenzie Hawkesby were on hand alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to help announce the funding.
“These upgrades are long overdue and the facilities will help female athletes perform better and increase the growth of our game,” said Tobin.
“It will help improve the growth of our Women’s game at all levels and increase our ability to impact our local community and girls football.”
The Commonwealth, State and Local governments have formed a funding partnership to secure the future of Leichhardt Oval.
The Commonwealth is committing $20 million to the project, with the NSW Government and the Inner West Council investing $10 million each towards the upgrade.