The A-League is coming to town, in its most serious context yet.
Following a friendly between Melbourne Victory and the GV Suns in 2024, as well as an NPL clash between Victory and Green Gully earlier this year, Victory’s partnership with the GSCC has strengthened to deliver an official home and away fixture for the club’s A-League Women’s side in Shepparton.
Victory will hold its round 16 fixture against the Newcastle Jets at McEwen Reserve on Saturday, February 7, kicking off at 5pm.
In the lead-up to the clash for championship points - the first of its kind for Victory matches in Shepparton - there will be a multi-day engagement program featuring school clinics, a masterclass program, and community coaching workshops for local clubs and aspiring players.
The match on the Saturday will be broadcast on Channel 10 and streamed on Paramount Plus, and with Victory currently on top of the A-League Women’s table after six rounds, the game is expected to be one of the highest quality.
Anticipated to draw a crowd of more 1000 fans, aspiring footballers from the region will be able to witness the highest level of domestic women’s soccer in the nation in their own backyard, on the McEwen Reserve deck that some may already have stepped foot upon in a pair of cleats.
It will welcome back Shepparton export and Melbourne Victory winger Fiorina Iaria to her home turf alongside Poppy O’Keeffe, the 17-year-old Wangaratta product who has shared more than a few occasions at Shepparton Sports City.
Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor Shane Sali was chuffed to announce GSCC’s continued partnership with Victory, and it’s growth as the two parties have worked together.
“We're very fortunate that not only our team has been extremely active in engaging with Melbourne Victory, but they've been engaging back with us now,” Sali said.
“We're building on from the men's game to now, and to be hosting for points I think is really important as well, to have an actual official match for the women's competition held here,” Sali said.
Following the success of Australia’s national women’s side the Matildas in recent years, Sali iterated the importance of Melbourne Victory bringing its female athletes to town to inspire the emerging crop of talent budding for professional role models.
“The soccer scene here is huge, it's jam packed down here on Saturday mornings throughout winter,” Sali said.
“It provides an opportunity that, yes, we do have the men's competition that has been successful here, and we now bring the women's opportunities for young girls, women, to be able to see perhaps some of the players that they've watched, but also provide that visual opportunity for them to look at how you can become a professional sports player.
“We're bringing them now to the country and a regional setting, and now they can get access to those particular stars.”
Sali also iterated the value of bringing a quality competition like the A-League Women’s to Shepparton to grow and promote tourism in the town.
“We're going to be expecting over 1000 people to be here,” Sali said.
“A team from Newcastle is travelling, so you have people visiting our region, not only the ones that live in and around Victoria and that are supporters of Melbourne Victory, but you're definitely going to get Newcastle supporters here as well, and I think that's really important that we get to show off not only our city and region, but our amazing facilities, to people that perhaps haven't been here before.
“If it wasn't successful last time, they (Melbourne Victory) wouldn't be back.
“We've built a successful relationship and we've proved that we can host these games, and they're back, so we look forward to hosting on February 7.”
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