Hensley Field Part of Australia's World Cup Bid

I wish to advise that Council has agreed to a request by Football Federation Australia (FFA) that an upgraded Hensley Athletics Field be use as a World Cup official training site.  The selection of Hensley will now be part of the Australian bid to host either the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup – the world’s second biggest sporting event.

As part of hosting the World Cup, FFA must provide not only match venues but training venues for all the participating nations. The training venues are not just suburban pitches – they have to meet a high standard. And that’s what the upgraded Hensley Field does – meet high standards.  Not only for athletics and football, but for other codes as well.

When Council embarked on the upgrade and revitalisation of Hensley Field, in conjunction with the Australian Government, we wanted to ensure that we had sporting facilities that would meet a wide range of requirements. It was to be a multi-sport facility – and that’s what it will be.

We could conceivably see little athletics one day and one of the world’s premier football teams – the Brazilians, French, Italians, Germans, English or even the Socceroos, training down at Hensley when the focus of the sporting world is on the World Cup.

Council is pleased to be able to participate in the bid for the world’s greatest football tournament. The selection of Hensley by FFA underpins not only Council’s aim for this facility but also our perseverance in getting the revitalisation underway.

I also want to thank the Australian Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese for his support in getting this project from the drawing board to where it is today – well underway.