More than 70 council officers representing metro and regional councils across Victoria attended the inaugural Football Victoria (FV) LGA LAB at The Home of The Matildas.
The FV LGA LAB is a new initiative designed to strengthen collaboration between FV and Local Government Areas across the state.
The event, which will now become an annual fixture in the FV calendar, provided an opportunity for council members and FV staff to connect, share insights, and shape the future of football.
The attendees started the day in the auditorium, hearing from FV leaders from across the business before breaking for a networking session and finishing the day with information sessions on social football and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Born out of a shared commitment to collaborate and grow, the initiative aims to ensure football continues to develop in a sustainable and inclusive way, providing communities with the best possible sporting experiences on and off the field.
FV Metro Development Manager Leandro Mercaldi was thrilled with the first LGA LAB event and looks forward to the ongoing benefits for the football community the meeting will bring.
“The FV LGA LAB marks an exciting step forward in how Football Victoria and councils work together," he said.
“This inaugural event sets the foundation for stronger collaboration, shared learning, and innovation, all for the benefit of the game and the communities we serve.”
Part of the event was an introduction to the new FV Facilities Strategy 2025-2035 by CEO Dan Birrell, which was announced publicly yesterday.
“The timing of this gathering of local government officials could not have been better, as we prepare to publicly release our new Facilities Strategy.," he said.
“As our sport continues its rapid growth in participation, a key part of the new Facilities Strategy is a call to all levels of government and council to assist us in funding for appropriate green space for communities to come together and play.”
FV would like to thank everyone who attended the inaugural LGA LAB event and looks forward to working with our local government and council stakeholders in the future.