Hundreds of female soccer players are set to descend upon Ballarat this weekend in a major tournament that is showing significant signs of growth.
The Western United Cup will be held in Ballarat for the second time, building on the success of the debut girls-only tournament in 2022.
With the tournament coming hot on the heels of the hugely popular FIFA Women’s World Cup, it is certain to be a be a brilliant showcase of all-girls soccer.
Upwards of 500 girls, making up about 50 teams and 27 clubs will participate in the tournament, which will be held at the Ballarat Regional Soccer Facility at Morshead Park.
Competition will range from under-9s all the way up to under-21s.
Held in the middle of the September school holidays, the event is expected to attract more than 3000 visitors to Ballarat.
City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said he was proud to see the close relationship between the City and Western United flourish to organise events like the Western United Cup.
“Soccer is very close to my heart and I took great pleasure in seeing the success of the Western United Cup last year,” Cr Hudson said.
“To see that it is going to be bigger and better is just incredible. We saw how the Matildas captured the imagination of the entire country and it is grassroots events like this that go a long way towards that success.
“We’re proud to have such a close relationship with Western United and hosting events like this aligns with our goals to increase female sport participation as part of our Active Women and Girls Strategy.”
Western United Women’s Football Manager Amanda Stella said the club was excited to see the tournament expand.
“We are delighted to be back in Ballarat for the Western United Cup. Ballarat have been major supporters of our club since the beginning and have shown particular support for our women’s program in our inaugural season,” she said.
“The Western United Cup last season was a huge success, and this season we have significantly increased the number of teams and matches, making for an even bigger event this year.
“As we come off the success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, we look forward to continuing to support and promote female football in the west.”
