The A-League will return to the nation’s capital next season, with the Central Coast Mariners set to face the Wellington Phoenix at the GIO Stadium in 2016-17.
Central Coast Chief Executive Shaun Mielekamp was joined by Phoenix General Manager David Dome, Mayor of Wellington Celia Wade Brown and ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr in Canberra to make the announcement earlier today.
“The Central Coast Mariners are very proud to be partnering with the ACT Government and Capital Football to host a match in Canberra,” Mielekamp said.
“We see this is a first step towards forming a long term strategic partnership with the region.
“It is great to return to Canberra with a full flight Hyundai A-League match and we are committed to doing as much as we can in the lead up to help community football grow and our partnership with Capital Football will help us achieve this.”
POPULAR ARTICLES
A-League grand final – Three keys for Adelaide United
A-League grand final – Three keys for Western Sydney Wanderers
A-League – Grand Final Preview – Adelaide United vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Road to the A-League grand final – Western Sydney Wanderers
The Mariners’ history with the region dates back to 2009, where they hosted and won A-League matches in Canberra against Adelaide United and Perth Glory. In the most recent preseason, a week was also spent by Tony Walmsley’s team playing against the likes of Canberra Olympic and Gungahlin United.
With debate always present around the possibility of Canberra having their own team, the ACT’s Chief Minister Andrew Barr expects that the new announcement will lead to a further A-League spotlight being cast upon the area.
“This is an exciting opportunity for football fans in Canberra who have demonstrated a real appetite for football in recent years,” he said.
“I’m delighted that the Central Coast Mariners have partnered with the ACT Government to bring this clash to Canberra, and I hope to see more A-League games in Canberra over the coming years.” Barr said.
What are your thoughts? Let us know by dropping a comment below via our Facebook comment box. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Outside90 and like us on Facebook.
