Women’s World Cup roadblock in SA as Hindmarsh Stadium goes under microscope
A SUB-PAR Hindmarsh stadium could see SA cut out of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup if Australia’s bid is successful, so does Adelaide need a new soccer ground? Take our poll.
A NEW Adelaide soccer stadium is being considered at the highest level, A-League boss Greg O’Rourke has confirmed.
Mr O’Rourke has been told there will be no further upgrades at Hindmarsh Stadium as Football Federation Australia prepares its bid to host the 2023 FIFA women’s World Cup.
“The government is looking at a new rectangular stadium, it will not be adding (finances) to the change rooms or any other upgrade facilities (at Hindmarsh Stadium),’’ Mr O’Rourke told The Advertiser.
But an FFA official could not confirm last night whether it was the State or Federal Government which had spoken to Mr O’Rourke about the development.
SA was bypassed for games in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, which the Socceroos won, because Hindmarsh Stadium was not considered up to scratch.
FIFA has yet to release its bid book for the women’s World Cup, but Hindmarsh appears to be short on meeting basic criteria, including a minimum number of change rooms.
The State Government-owned stadium is the problem child of national league soccer because it only has two change rooms and cannot host double header W-League and A-League matches.
Sports Minister Corey Wingard confirmed the State Government was studying the viability of hosting the biggest single sporting event for women in the world.
But he would not elaborate on whether a new stadium was on the agenda.
“The State Government is investigating the feasibility of hosting (Australia’s) 2023 FIFA women’s World Cup if Football Federation Australia’s bid is successful,’’ Mr Wingard said.
“The Marshall Government is committed to ensuring that any investment in sport and recreation facilities is undertaken in a strategic and co-ordinated way.”
Adelaide Oval could be in contention to host women’s World Cup matches, but AFL and cricket commitments for its major tenants would likely nullify any chance FIFA would have of controlling the stadium for up to six weeks in 2023.
Adelaide United is the only Australian A-League club not capable of hosting double headers, after women soccer players from Adelaide City and Metro United were forced to change in bars at Hindmarsh during Football Federation SA’s men’s and women’s grand final day on September 1.
All men’s teams had access to the change rooms.
Hindmarsh last hosted a major international soccer tournament in 2006, when it held the entire AFC women’s Asian Cup tournament.
The nine nation, 20-match tournament featured double headers for every game.
The stadium at the time had four change rooms according to a former high ranking former employee, who wished to remain anonymous.
Hindmarsh Stadium’s estimated $30 million upgrade for the Sydney 2000 Olympic football tournament in the late 1990s became an agenda at Parliament House even though it had three key tenants West Adelaide, Adelaide City and the now defunct SA soccer federation.
Hindmarsh also hosted seven matches of the 1993 FIFA World Youth Championships after the stadium underwent minor upgrades.
In 1981 Hindmarsh held some of the FIFA World Youth Championship matches with five games played at the venue.