The Home of the Matildas | |
Address: | Sports Dr, Bundoora VIC 3083 |
Location: | Bundoora, Melbourne |
Publictransit: | Tram route 86 |
Built: | 2023 |
Opened: | 3 July 2023 |
Yearsactive: | 2023–present |
Surface: | Grass |
Record Attendance: | 2,588 (Melbourne Victory v Brisbane Roar, 15 October 2023) |
Construction Cost: | $57 million |
Capacity: | 3,000 (800 seated) |
Tenants: | Australia women's national soccer team (2023–present) Melbourne Victory (A-League Women) (2023–present) |
Field Shape: | Rectangular |
The Home of the Matildas is a soccer stadium in Melbourne, Australia. It is the home base of the Australia women's national soccer team, and the home of Melbourne Victory in the A-League Women in Bundoora, Melbourne, Australia. It has an 800 capacity grandstand, and a total venue capacity of 3,000.[1] [2] [3]
La Trobe University had been the host of Melbourne City FC's City Football Academy, the club training facility in the southern edge of the University precinct at a cost of $15 million. They remained there until moving to a new facility at Casey Fields, with the Bundoora facility demolished at the closure in 2021.
In 2019 Football Victoria proposed a home base for the Australia women's national soccer team, The Matildas to be built in Victoria after attracting interest from municipalities across the state.[4] A $200,000 grant from the Andrews Government was funded into the establishment of the venue and state-of-the-art facility to host training camps and elite pathway programs for national teams, representative teams and coaching/development programs. The bids to host the venue were short-listed on 19 June 2019 and were between Brimbank, Casey, Darebin, Maroondah and La Trobe University (Bundoora).[5] The Victorian Government further provided $1.5 million into plan and design for The Home of the Matildas on 30 August 2020.[6] The host was announced as Bundoora and La Trobe University on 16 May 2021 and allowed the beginning of construction onwards,[7] with construction due to be completed prior to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.[8]
The facility cost of $42.29 million was funded within the grants for the wider La Trobe University Sports Park precinct. Government grants for the precinct included $15 million from the Federal Government, $101 million from the Victorian State Government and $5 million from the City of Banyule Council. The first two stages of the Sports Park precinct were funded by the University at a cost of $80 million. [9] and the Victorian government allocating $101.5 million towards the project, alongside the $1.5 million that was spent on planning. The upgrades include a marquee pitch with grandstand seating; four other pitches (Hybrid, natural grass, synthetic), a futsal court, and high-performance facilities including a gymnasium and wet recovery area, medical and rehabilitation centre, meeting areas and player lounge.
The Home of the Matildas was officially opened on 3 July 2023 by Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos as the first and biggest soccer infrastructure projects in Australian history.[10] On 31 August 2023, the venue was selected to host Melbourne Victory's stand-alone A-League Women matches.[11]
The Victory played their first home match at the venue on 15 October 2023, with the match attracting an attendance of 2,588.
Described as a "world-class facility" by Football Victoria, The Home of the Matildas features a FIFA and AFC compliant elite training facility with an extra five pitches involving two Premium pitches and three standard FIFA pitches.[12] The grandstand features 800 seats along with a terrace/balcony for standing rooms and overlooking the main pitch. The indoor interiors of the venue features a high-performance gym, sports science/high performance with also an elite-level recovery area, multiple change rooms including a circular locker room for the Matildas and a referee change room, function spaces, public cafe, dining room for players, lounge, study spaces, 2 sleep rooms, property office, and administration office for Football Victoria.
The pitch is expected to be utilized by the Matilda's for 140 days each year,[13] with the pitch being used for 6000 hours annually by La Trobe University students for around 20 hours a week, grassroots clubs, and training for volunteers and administrators. These new upgrades are expected to encourage research collaboration between high-performance expects and academics at La Trobe University.[14]
This area will also incorporate the Victorian State Rugby centre, which will possess a show pitch with grandstand seating, two additional pitches, and high performance facilities including a gymnasium, sport science, medical and recovery areas and a training and match day home for the Melbourne Rebels’ Super W team.