Victorian Premier backs Geelong's Skilled Stadium as World Cup venue

Victorian Premier John Brumby has advanced Geelong's Skilled Stadium as a potential venue for the FIFA World Cup.

The Victorian Premier, speaking this week on SEN radio, was backing the use of an expanded Skilled Stadium to potentially help Australia win the right to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022, stating "I always thought it (Skilled Stadium) was a great solution for soccer and a great solution for the AFL, and a great solution for Geelong."

The Victorian Government has suggested the current home of the Geelong AFL team be upgraded to hold 44,000 spectators - the minimum capacity that world football governing body FIFA demands for its matches. Its current capacity is 30,000.

Premier Brumby promoted the Geelong region, pointing out that it already had a greater population than the Northern Territory and Hobart, adding "in 10 to 15 years you're going to see 400 to 500,000 people" in the area.

On 3AW radio, Victorian Sports Minister James Merlino called the Skilled Stadium concept plan "a win for the AFL, a win for soccer and the World Cup bid and a win for Geelong".

The recently completed stage two redevelopment of Skilled Stadium has brought the capacity of the stadium formerly known as Kardinia Park to 30,000 seats.