Sport Institute chosen as possible FIFA Women’s World Cup training facility

The training ground, at the Manawatū campus, has been chosen by FIFA to be included in possible locations for Team Base Camps. This is the first time Team Base Camps have been used in the women’s tournament, with each location providing appropriate training facilities and accommodation.

Teams are now considering where they would like to be based between games in the host cities. Final decisions about the successful base camps will be announced in December, with the tournament being played in nine host cities across New Zealand and Australia between July 20 and August 20 next year. New Zealand’s games will be played at Auckland’s Eden Park, Hamilton’s Waikato Stadium, Wellington Regional Stadium and Dunedin Stadium.

Minister for Sport and Recreation Grant Robertson announced Government funding to support upgrades at 30 of the 32 match, training, and Team Base Camp venues earlier today at Porirua Park in Wellington. The Government’s $19 million investment will go towards pitch, lighting, facility and gender-neutral changing space upgrades. Massey’s Sport Institute is receiving $325,000 from the funding round.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas says it’s an exciting opportunity to be part of a global event.

Deputy Mayor of Palmerston North Aleisha Rutherford says the city is excited at the prospect of hosting an international team for their training.

“Palmy is a welcoming city that has a lot to offer not only members of the team but their wider support personnel and potentially their families and supporters. I am confident that if Palmy is chosen as a Team Base Camp, the team will receive a warm welcome from our diverse residents and communities.”

Massey’s Sport Advancement Manager Jacob Oram is hopeful the facilities will be part of the biggest competition in women’s football to ever come to the southern hemisphere.

“The potential for Massey University’s Manawatū campus to host a FIFA Women’s World Cup team is an amazing opportunity to enhance Massey’s reputation as a leading New Zealand university for sport and recreation. In order to get the Sport Institute up to the required FIFA standards, developments will include renovating the main pitch, upgrading the field lights, and some minor facility renewals indoors. These developments will deliver benefits in the short term for Massey and the Manawatū, as well as providing longer term positive effects on football and footballers in the region for years to come.”

There are 21 venues in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Dunedin, Rotorua, Napier, Palmerston North, Tauranga and Christchurch earmarked for Team Base Camps. Of these, 16 will end up being selected and used by teams throughout the tournament.

The full list of venues can be found on FIFA’s website.