Wyndham City Stadium is a proposed soccer stadium in Tarneit, Victoria, Australia. It is scheduled to open in 2026 as the home ground of Western United FC.
 | |
| Address | Sayers Road, Tarneit, Victoria, Australia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°50′30″S 144°37′47″E / 37.84167°S 144.62972°E |
| Owner | Western United FC |
| Type | Soccer-specific stadium |
| Capacity | 15,000 |
| Field shape | Rectangular |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | October 2021 |
| Built | October 2021 |
| Opened | 2026 (scheduled) |
| Tenants | |
| Western United | |
History
editAs part of its successful bid to enter the A-League in 2019, Western United FC committed to build a 15,000 seat soccer-specific stadium in Tarneit to the west of Melbourne.[1] It will be the first major venue in Australia to be exclusively owned and operated by an A-League club, being funded through value capture.[2][3]
A training facility will be built adjacent to the new stadium.[4] Early works on the site commenced in October 2021.[5][6] It is scheduled for completion in 2024.[7][8]
On 29 May 2022, Western United chief executive Chris Pehlivanis revealed the current timeline for the stadium is for it to be ready in time for the 2025–26 A-League season.[9] Pehlivanis also confirmed that Western United would begin to play home games at their training base from the 2023–24 A-League season, once the 5,000 seat training facility is built, before moving to the completed main stadium two years later.[9]
Wyndham City Council will hold naming rights for the stadium for a 22-year term in a deal valued at $10.4 million.[10]
An update on the stadium timeline was given in January 2024. Western United chairman Jason Sourasis stated that construction should begin mid-to-late 2024, with completion in time for the 2026-27 A League season.[11]
Ironbark Fields
edit
Ironbark Fields (previously the Wyndham Regional Football Facility[12]) is a rectangular football facility in Tarneit in Melbourne's west. The facility is adjacent to the proposed Wyndham City Stadium has a spectator capacity of up to 5,000.[13]
The Wyndham Regional Football Facility primarily serves as the training base for A-League club Western United. The club also plays home games at this venue until its new stadium opens, also hosting Women's, NPL and academy teams. The facility was being jointly funded and developed by Wyndham City Council and the Western Melbourne Group with shared community facilities.[13]
The Wyndham Regional Football Facility features three training pitches (two turf and one synthetic), a main training pitch with professional-grade surface with capacity for 5,000 spectators, including a grandstand, a pavilion with training and gym facilities, function and media spaces, change rooms, staff facilities, kiosks, public toilets and first aid room.[13]
Western United started playing home games at their training base since the end of the 2023–24 A-League season, and will move to the completed main stadium two years later.[9] The Club assured fans that they were "working tirelessly" behind the scenes to enable as many home matches as possible to be played at the Regional Football Facility (RFF) during the season.[14]
In December 2023, the Wyndham City Council launched a poll to determine an official name for the Regional Football Facility. The options presented were Davis Park or Ironbark Fields. The final name was officially adopted in May 2024.[12]
On 13 February 2024, it was announced that the Wyndham Regional Football Facility would host the A-League Women match between Western United and Newcastle Jets on 17 March 2024, with Victoria Premier League 1 and A-League Men matches to follow.[15][16][17][18]
The Wyndham Regional Football Facility hosted its inaugural professional football match on 17 March 2024, when Western United hosted the Newcastle Jets in an A-League Women fixture. In front of a crowd of 2,040, the Newcastle Jets won 3-1, with Libby Copus-Brown scoring the first professional goal at the ground in the match's 4th minute, while Aimee Medwin scored Western United's first goal at the ground in the match's 20th minute.
The Wyndham Regional Football Facility hosted its inaugural A-League Men match on 6 April 2024, when Western United FC hosted Macarthur FC. In front of a crowd of 3,430, Western United won 4-2, with Valère Germain scoring the first A-League Men goal at the ground with a 17th minute penalty, while Riku Danzaki scored Western United's first goal at the ground in the match's 52nd minute.
The Wyndham Regional Football Facility hosted its inaugural professional football finals match on 13 April 2024, when Western United hosted the Newcastle Jets in a 2024 A-League Women finals series elimination final. In front of a crowd of 3,370, the Newcastle Jets won the match 4-2 after extra time, with Sarina Bolden scoring the first professional finals goal at the ground in the match's 4th minute, while Alana Cerne scored Western United's first finals goal at the ground in the match's 22nd minute.
References
edit- ^ FFA settle on stagged A-League expansion over next two years The Guardian 13 December 2018
- ^ Western United unveils unique stadium renders Austadiums 18 July 2019
- ^ Western United and a local council are building a $150 million football stadium essentially out of thin air, thanks to a concept called value capture ABC News 27 November 2020
- ^ Western United's new elite training facility next step in stadium precinct development Western United FC 18 September 2020
- ^ Western Melbourne Group ready to turn soil Western United FC 23 September 2021
- ^ Stadium a step closer Star Weekly 23 September 2021
- ^ Western United get government go-ahead to build $150m stadium The Age 22 January 2021
- ^ Western United aim for stadium to be completed for 2023 Women's World Cup SBS World News 2 February 2021
- ^ a b c "ALM champs United eye home in 2023-24". The West Australian. 28 May 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ^ "Flyers out for Western Melbourne's $2b sports precinct". Australian Financial Review. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
- ^ "A-League drifters Western United makes new stadium commitment". ESPN.com. 4 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Help us name the new Regional Football Facility Reserve and Pavilion". The Loop. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
- ^ a b c "Wyndham Regional Football Facility | Austadiums". www.austadiums.com. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ Hughes, Nicholas (24 August 2023). "Western United fixtures released for 2023/24 A-Leagues season". Western United. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ Harrington, Anna. "WESTERN UNITED TO FINALLY PLAY GAMES IN TARNEIT". FTBL. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ Pisani, Sacha (13 February 2024). "Western United is coming home! 'A great day for football' as A-Leagues side make big announcement". A-Leagues. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ "Western United is coming home". Western United FC. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ Bilcich, Juri (13 February 2024). "Western United move into a new era". The Inner Sanctum. Retrieved 13 February 2024.