A-League’s Macarthur FC and Sydney FC each reveal plans for new training facilities

A-League clubs Sydney FC and Macarthur FC have each released plans to build individual new state-of-the-art training and administration facilities, at a combined cost of over $58 million.

Five-time A-League Champions Sydney FC’s plans are for the construction of a new $20 million facility providing a training and business base for the club, as well as for their junior teams and the upcoming inaugural women’s junior academy.

To be known as Sky Park, the facility, in the Sydney suburb of North Ryde, has been made possible through an arrangement with Macquarie University for the club to secure a 25-year lease on the site where the facility will be built, along with funding from the NSW Government.

The North Ryde location was selected as site, picked over options in the suburbs of Tempe, Moore Park, Leichhardt and St George.

Sydney FC Chairman, Scott Barlow commented “creating one Sydney FC family has always been really central to what we do as a club.”

“For the first time, it will bring together all parts of our club into the one location, under the one roof in a state-of-the-art facility designed by us, for us and it will be our home for many years to come.”

A-League newcomers, Macarthur FC have also announced plans for a $38.5 million training and administration facility in the outer south western Sydney suburb of Cawdor with the facility to feature five football fields, along with medical and sports science facilities.

To be built on a 42-acre site the football precinct will house the club’s new W-League team, its NPL sides and its community arm, the Macarthur FC Foundation, with the aim of having the senior women’s team training there in little more than 18 months.

The $3.5 million site at Cawdor was bought by the club’s owners from the Boardman family of Camden, who in turn were gifted it in the early 1800s by John Macarthur - the eponymous prominent landowner after whom Macarthur FC is named.

The first stage of the Cawdor project, compromising five pitches, administration buildings and a sports science unit, is scheduled to commence construction in November and will take 12 months to complete. The second stage will add another six pitches, allowing the club’s academy sides to be based there in total.

Macarthur FC Chairman, Gino Marra noted “this is part of a strategy to build a club that is not just in the A-League to make up numbers but also win championships.”

Images: Concepts for Sydney FC's Sky Park (top) and Macarthur FC's training and administration facility (below).