- New State Football Centre renamed in honour of homegrown football mega star Sam Kerr
- Sam Kerr Football Centre named at community football festival marking the centre’s official opening and CommBank Matildas’ participation in the AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifiers in Perth
- $50.8 million centre joint-funded by the State and Commonwealth Governments part of FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand hosting legacy
- Select CommBank Matildas in attendance as captain Sam Kerr recognised for her world-leading career to date and legacy of inspiring our future CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos
The newly constructed State Football Centre in Queens Park will now be officially known as the Sam Kerr Football Centre.
Born and raised in Western Australia, Sam Kerr’s phenomenal football journey has become part of the State’s international identity.
As captain of the CommBank Matildas, she has represented Western Australia on the world stage in high esteem, with all Western Australians proud of her connection to our State.
Premier Roger Cook, Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman and Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti today announced that the world-class centre would be named in Sam Kerr’s honour, in recognition of her successful career to date, her contribution to professional and grassroots football, and the legacy she continues to leave in inspiring the next generation of footballers.
The $50.8 million facility, which was joint funded by the State and Commonwealth Governments and is owned by the State Government, includes a two-storey grandstand, two competition and training pitches and three five-a-side playing pitches. It was used as a training base by five international teams during the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Australia and New Zealand and will be home to the next generation of WA football players, supporting the development of the sport from grassroots to high-performance teams.
The new name was revealed at a community football festival attended by Sam Kerr and some of her CommBank Matildas teammates to celebrate the centre’s official opening and WA’s growing football community and its achievements.
The CommBank Matildas are in Perth for their three exclusive matches at HBF Park and Optus Stadium as part of the Paris 2024 Olympic Asian Qualifiers.
The Cook Government today also announced a new $9.3 million investment in grassroots football clubs and local facilities and infrastructure, to ensure WA’s successful hosting of this year’s Women’s World Cup delivers a lasting legacy for the world game in WA.
As stated by CommBank Matildas Captain Sam Kerr:
“As a proud West Australian, I am incredibly privileged to have this amazing State Football Centre named after me.
“It fills me with pride to think that football in WA is growing so rapidly in popularity and that children, at a grassroots level, as well as world-class sporting teamswill be able to access these impressive facilities.
“Football centres, such as this, create opportunitiesfor kids that enable them to reach their full potential,and that is the ultimate goal.”
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
“Sam Kerr is a global football superstar and truly a sporting icon she’s an incredible role model for Western Australians and I can’t think of a better name for our new home of grassroots football and high performance.
“We want the next generation of football stars to play and train at this centre and think about their own sporting dreams.
“In naming our new world-class facility after Sam, my Government hopes that her contribution to football and impressive legacy will continue to inspire our future Matildas and Socceroos and help grow the game locally.”
As stated by Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman:
“I am so pleased to see Western Australia’s new football centre named after someone who inspires so many young girls and women, not just here in WA but across the nation and the world.
“The best thing about hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Western Australia was the fact that it created such a legacy for young girls and for football generally, so naming the new centre after Sam Kerr makes fantastic sense.”
As stated by Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti:
“Sam Kerr is a national sporting hero and incredible role model for young Western Australians.
“What better way to inspire the next generation of players than naming this incredible new sporting venue a legacy of WA hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup and Olympic Asian Qualifiers after the Perth-born Captain of our most successful Australian women’s national football team.”
As stated byFootball West CEO Jamie Harnwell:
“Football West is delighted that the home of football in Western Australia will be named the Sam Kerr Football Centre. As well as being one of the best players in the world, Sam is a fantastic role model and a proud West Australian.
“The Sam Kerr Football Centre will provide for all levels of the game – from Sam’s CommBank Matildas to the grassroots players, and will provide a platform for aspiring young footballers to reach the world stage.
“There is no more fitting choice for a name than Sam Kerr.”
