Football Victoria has welcomed the latest round of successful Local Sports Infrastructure Fund recipients, with approximately $3 million in funding supporting football facility planning and upgrades across Victoria.
Ten football projects have secured support through the Victorian Government’s Local Sports Infrastructure Fund, spanning metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. The projects will help improve lighting, playing surfaces and facility planning, supporting clubs to accommodate growing participation and provide better environments for players, coaches, volunteers and communities.
The successful projects include lighting upgrades at multiple venues across the state, pitch improvements at Edwards Reserve in Hobsons Bay, and planning for future football infrastructure at Armstrong Creek West Sub-Regional Hub.
Football Victoria Head of Government Relations and Facilities, Lachlan Cole, thanked the Victorian Government for its investment and said the funding was an important step towards addressing the growing demand for football facilities.
“It's great to see this investment reaching football clubs and communities across Victoria. These projects will make a real difference at a local level, whether that’s improving lighting to create more opportunities to train and play, upgrading playing surfaces or getting the planning right for future facilities.”
“Football continues to grow, and we need to make sure both existing and future facilities can support our participation. This funding is a welcome contribution, but there’s still a significant amount of work to do to ensure clubs have access to the quality facilities they need, both now and into the future.”
| Venue | Project | Local Government Area |
| Armstrong Creek West Sub-Regional Hub | Facility Planning | City of Greater Geelong |
| South Wangaratta Reserve | Facility Planning | Wangaratta Shire Council |
| Alma Park Reserve | Lighting Upgrade | City of Port Phillip |
| Keilor Park Recreation Reserve | Lighting Upgrade | Brimbank City Council |
| Morrison Reserve | Lighting Upgrade | Yarra Ranges Shire Council |
| Rupert Wallace Reserve | Lighting Upgrade | Merri-bek City Council |
| Skye Recreational Reserve | Lighting Upgrade | Frankston City Council |
| Wattle Glen War Memorial Park | Lighting Upgrade | Nillumbik Shire Council |
| Central Reserve | Lighting Upgrade | Colac Otway Shire Council |
| Edwards Reserve | Pitch Upgrade | Hobsons Bay City Council |
The investment also aligns with Football Victoria’s Level the Playing Field campaign, which calls for greater and more consistent investment in football infrastructure to match the sport’s growing participation and facility needs. These priorities are outlined in Football Victoria’s Facilities Strategy 2025 to 2035, which identifies the infrastructure challenges facing the game and the need for a coordinated, long-term approach to facility planning and investment.
Football Victoria’s campaign highlights the pressure facing existing facilities and the importance of a coordinated, long-term approach to infrastructure investment, including improved lighting, fit-for-purpose playing surfaces, accessible changerooms and better planning for future demand.
“Thank you to Minister Spence and the Victorian Government for recognising the importance of community football and supporting these projects. Continued investment through programs like the Local Sports Infrastructure Fund is critical, and we look forward to working with all tiers of government and our council partners to build on this progress and ensure more clubs can benefit in the years ahead,” Mr Cole said.
Football Victoria will continue advocating for sustained investment in community football facilities through its Level the Playing Field campaign, working alongside government, councils and clubs to ensure infrastructure keeps pace with the game.