Football Australia’s stadium push as it blasts Queensland funding own-goal

Hot on the heels of a hugely successful FIFA Women’s World Cup, the sport’s governing body in Australia has launched a broadside at the Queensland government’s “bias” against the code as it called for a major infrastructure boost.

In a submission to a federal inquiry into Australia’s preparedness to host the Olympic Games, Football Australia called for a feasibility study into an upgrade of Perry Park into a 10,000- to 15,000-seat stadium and improved facilities across the state that could be used as Games training venues.

Cox Architects’ concept for a 15,000-seat stadium at Perry Park, commissioned for the Brisbane Strikers’ abandoned bid to join the A-League.

Football Australia noted in its submission that Brisbane was the only Australian city that lacked a modern, “tier two” stadium and noted it was getting increasingly difficult for the sport to find room in the calendar to play at Suncorp Stadium.

Seven concerts – Paul McCartney, Def Leppard/Motley Crue, The Weeknd, Foo Fighters and Pink (x3) – are booked for the stadium during the upcoming A-League season.

“With a tightened focus on commercial returns by Stadiums Queensland, availability for football content at Suncorp Stadium is proving ever more difficult,” Football Australia said.

“Concerts offer significantly higher returns that sporting events, meaning access to the facility for sporting events is becoming more difficult for non-tenanted sporting codes.”

FA chief executive James Johnson at the reception for the Matildas in Brisbane last week.Credit: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

Football Australia said without such a boutique stadium, Brisbane Roar and any other A-League expansion team would struggle to attract international investment.

When it came to funding, Football Australia said, the government had disproportionately favoured other codes for many years.

“Historically with respect to rectangular field infrastructure investment, government has appeared to show a bias towards other football codes which are not Olympic sports,” it said.

It was a sentiment that echoed Matildas captain Sam Kerr’s calls for more funding earlier this month, after Australia’s semi-final loss against England.

A spokesman for Sports Minister Stirling Hinchliffe defended the Palaszczuk government’s investment in the game.

He cited $14 million in pre-World Cup spending at Suncorp Stadium – a multi-use venue – and $2.6 million for six training sites and base camps at south-east Queensland clubs.

“Since 2015, the Queensland government has delivered $42.7 million for football, which is significantly higher than AFL, cricket, rugby union and netball, excluding one-off, co-funded significant infrastructure projects,” he said.

That qualifier did some heavy lifting. The $44 million State Netball Centre at Nathan opened in 2019, while the Brisbane Lions’ new AFL stadium at Springfield received $18 million in state funding and Queensland Rugby Union’s Ballymore upgrade $15 million.

A subsequent request to Hinchliffe’s office for a full breakdown of sports funding went unanswered.

In the immediate wake of the Matildas’ strong World Cup showing, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced an additional $37 million investment into female sport, primarily for inclusive facilities. Of that $37 million, $2 million was allocated to the Queensland Women’s Football Legacy Fund.

With six of the eight proposed 2032 Olympic soccer venues in Queensland, Football Australia said there was a critical lack of suitable training venues in the state.

During the group stage of the Women’s World Cup, Australia played host to 16 national teams, with the other 16 based across the Tasman in New Zealand.

With both men’s and women’s competitions during the Olympics, Football Australia said there could be more than 30 teams – and they would primarily be based in Queensland, with additional sites in NSW and Victoria.

That would require up to 40 training facilities across the three states, as Sydney and Melbourne were also slated to host Olympic soccer matches.

“Across the three same states for FWWC23, FIFA required 15 facilities, which was still difficult at the required standard,” Football Australia said.

In another salvo, Football Australia said it had been “surprised” by the lack of consultation from organisers regarding Olympic infrastructure.

“In a scenario where collaboration and communication are quintessential, the omission of FA’s insights and opinions raises concerns about the tournament’s preparedness for Brisbane 2032 with respect to football.”