The Etihad City Football Academy, Melbourne, named after the Etihad airline and located in Melbourne, Australia, is the training and administrative headquarters of professional football club Melbourne City FC. The club was previously based in the northern Melbourne suburb of Bundoora between 2015 and 2022, and later relocated to the Casey Fields sports precinct in Cranbourne East, south-eastern suburb of Melbourne.
 View of the City Football Academy's main pitch in March 2024, prior to an A-League Women's match. | |
 | |
| Address | 369 Casey Fields Boulevard Cranbourne East Victoria, Australia |
|---|---|
| Location | Casey Fields, Cranbourne East |
| Coordinates | 38°07′27″S 145°18′34″E / 38.12417°S 145.30944°E |
| Owner | Melbourne City FC (City Football Group) |
| Type | Training facility |
| Capacity | 1,500 (Pitch No. 4) 4,000 (Mini-stadium, proposed) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 2020 |
| Built | 2022 |
| Opened | 10 April 2024 |
| Tenants | |
| Melbourne City Football Club | |
Summary
editIn December 2020, Melbourne City officials announced the club would move training and administration facilities to Casey Fields in Melbourne's South-East. In 2019, the football facilities at Casey Fields included four floodlit pitches and a one-story administration building. The club announced that, in conjunction with the City of Casey, it would add an elite training tablet pitch, expand the size of the administration building to two storeys and leave space for potential future construction of a 4,000 capacity boutique stadium. The club's youth and women's teams began moving into the facility in early 2021, and the senior men's team commenced pre-season training later that year. Construction of the additional facilities commenced in July 2021.[2][3][4][5][6] In April 2024, the redevelopment was unveiled by the club and City of Casey. The total cost of the project was $18.7 million, of which City of Casey contributed more than $11 million. As well as two and a half grass training pitches, there are three synthetic fields, 16 changerooms, a 60-seat theatrette, hot and cold hydrotherapy pools, two gyms, community classrooms, and extensive sports medicine, sports science, and administration spaces. The entire precinct covers 5,900m2.[7][8]
The club's A-League Women's team has played most home matches on the Academy's main pitch, which has an overall spectator capacity of 1,500 with the inclusion of temporary seating, since January 2024.[9][10]
See also
edit- Melbourne City Football Club
- City Football Group
- Etihad Campus (Manchester)
- City Football Academy (New York)
- City Football Academy (Montevideo)
References
edit- ^ "City Football Academy | Austadiums".
- ^ "Melbourne City FC to create new Etihad City Football Academy Australia in South East Melbourne". Melbourne City FC. 14 December 2020. Archived from the original on 15 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ "Shock move: Melbourne City to relocate in bid for more fans". The Sydney Morning Herald. 14 December 2020. Archived from the original on 15 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ "Melbourne City to build new home 'Etihad City Football Academy' at Casey Fields". ESPN Australia/New Zealand. 14 December 2020. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ "Construction begins on Melbourne City Football Club academy at Casey Fields". miragenews.com. 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
- ^ "Construction starts on Melbourne City FC new academy and home base at Casey Fields". Australasian Leisure Management. 2 July 2021. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
- ^ "City Football Academy Melbourne officially opened at Casey Fields". casey.vic.gov.au. 11 April 2024.
- ^ "Melbourne City opens state-of-the-art City Football Academy Melbourne at Casey Fields". melbournecityfc.com.au. 10 April 2024.
- ^ "City to host first ALW game at City Football Academy". melbournecityfc.com.au. 15 January 2024.
- ^ "ALW Report: City 2-1 Wellington". melbournecityfc.com.au. 20 January 2024.