Bid to host youth women’s soccer qualifiers

INTERNATIONAL SOCCER BID... Shepparton’s Sports City precinct could play host to two Asian Cup qualification groups in March and April next year if bids are successful. Photo: Ann Odong - FFA.
INTERNATIONAL SOCCER BID… Shepparton’s Sports City precinct could play host to two Asian Cup qualification groups in March and April next year if bids are successful. Photo: Ann Odong – FFA.

GREATER Shepparton City Council has partnered with Football Federation Australia (FFA) to submit a second bid to host Asian Football Confederation (AFC) youth women’s qualification fixtures in Australia next year.

The bids include hosting a round one qualification group for the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2022 in April next year.

Additionally, Council has also partnered with FFA to bid for a round one qualification group for the Asian Football Confederation U-20 Women’s Asian Cup 2022 which is scheduled to take place in March next year.

If the bids are successful, three or four Asian nations would join the Young Matildas in regional Victoria for a tournament.

Greater Shepparton City Council director sustainable development, Geraldine Christou, said the potential hosting of the qualification tournament would help the region on its road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our community has a proud football history and it would be great for the promotion of the sport in Australia and so inspiring to see our country’s best junior women footballers go up against Asia’s best, in our own backyard at the Shepparton Sports City precinct,” Ms Christou said.

“Securing an event of such calibre would be a real coup for Australia and our region.”

A decision is expected in October.