Macquarie University has been short-listed as a potential training camp for Australia’s biggest ever football tournament, the 2015 Asian Cup.
Macquarie University Sport Fields are among 27 venues across Australia vying for hosting honours.
Venues putting their hands up to be part of Australia’s Asian Cup party include nine in New South Wales, eight in Victoria, three in both Queensland and South Australia and one each in Western Australia, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.
Macquarie University now become candidates to host one of Asia’s top 16 teams as they acclimatise and train in Australia before competing in the five tournament host cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, and Newcastle.
The pre-tournament host candidates, culled from an initial list of more than 50 nominations, include capital cities Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, and Canberra, but are mostly regional centres. Sites selected include high quality football facilities close to international standard hotels such as Wollongong, Coffs Harbour, Albury, and Cessnock in New South Wales, Ballarat, Shepparton, La Trobe and the Surf Coast in Victoria, Cairns, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast in Queensland, and Launceston in Tasmania.
Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chief Executive Officer Michael Brown said the LOC would prepare an information brochure highlighting the venues that would be sent to all participating teams to consider as part of their preparations for the tournament.
“The response has been magnificent, and shows Australians are getting behind the Asian Cup in a big way,” Mr Brown said.
“We aim to put on a world class event and it’s clear Australians are ready to provide a world class welcome.
"I am sure if the visiting teams choose to base themselves at one of these great locations the whole region will adopt them as their second team.
“We can all still support our own Socceroos, as well as taking another nation under our wing.
“Australians are famous the world over for the warmth of our welcome, and hosting these teams will be an important part of our mission to celebrate Asia’s rich football culture.”
More than 2.5 million Australians have Asian heritage and the Asian Cup is a great chance for communities to celebrate their ancestry.
Director of Campus Life, Macquarie University, Craig Oliver agrees: “Macquarie University is excited about being part of largest football tournament. Being involved in such a prestigious event is an opportunity to showcase our sporting facilities and the breadth and quality of our University Campus, including the facilities and amenities available to the visiting teams.
“The 2015 event presents our large international body of students the opportunity to engage with and support their home country teams, as well as offering the University the opportunity to advance international sport partnerships and research” Mr Oliver said.
Twelve nations have already qualified for AFC Asian Cup 2015 – Australia as hosts, defending champions Japan, South Korea and North Korea, along with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Uzbekistan.
A further four spots are at stake, one in the AFC Challenge Cup and a further three in the final round of qualifying matches next March.
The final 16 teams will take part in a 23 day festival of football, which the Socceroos will kick off on January 9 2015 in Melbourne, with the final set for Sydney’s Stadium Australia on January 31 2015.
The tournament is being jointly funded by the Australian Government and the NSW, Victorian, Queensland and ACT Governments.
The final list of NSW venues for Asian Cup 2015 pre-competition training camps include:
For more information on AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 visit www.afcasiancup.com
Macquarie University Sport Fields are among 27 venues across Australia vying for hosting honours.
Venues putting their hands up to be part of Australia’s Asian Cup party include nine in New South Wales, eight in Victoria, three in both Queensland and South Australia and one each in Western Australia, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.
Macquarie University now become candidates to host one of Asia’s top 16 teams as they acclimatise and train in Australia before competing in the five tournament host cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, and Newcastle.
The pre-tournament host candidates, culled from an initial list of more than 50 nominations, include capital cities Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, and Canberra, but are mostly regional centres. Sites selected include high quality football facilities close to international standard hotels such as Wollongong, Coffs Harbour, Albury, and Cessnock in New South Wales, Ballarat, Shepparton, La Trobe and the Surf Coast in Victoria, Cairns, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast in Queensland, and Launceston in Tasmania.
Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chief Executive Officer Michael Brown said the LOC would prepare an information brochure highlighting the venues that would be sent to all participating teams to consider as part of their preparations for the tournament.
“The response has been magnificent, and shows Australians are getting behind the Asian Cup in a big way,” Mr Brown said.
“We aim to put on a world class event and it’s clear Australians are ready to provide a world class welcome.
"I am sure if the visiting teams choose to base themselves at one of these great locations the whole region will adopt them as their second team.
“We can all still support our own Socceroos, as well as taking another nation under our wing.
“Australians are famous the world over for the warmth of our welcome, and hosting these teams will be an important part of our mission to celebrate Asia’s rich football culture.”
More than 2.5 million Australians have Asian heritage and the Asian Cup is a great chance for communities to celebrate their ancestry.
Director of Campus Life, Macquarie University, Craig Oliver agrees: “Macquarie University is excited about being part of largest football tournament. Being involved in such a prestigious event is an opportunity to showcase our sporting facilities and the breadth and quality of our University Campus, including the facilities and amenities available to the visiting teams.
“The 2015 event presents our large international body of students the opportunity to engage with and support their home country teams, as well as offering the University the opportunity to advance international sport partnerships and research” Mr Oliver said.
Twelve nations have already qualified for AFC Asian Cup 2015 – Australia as hosts, defending champions Japan, South Korea and North Korea, along with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Uzbekistan.
A further four spots are at stake, one in the AFC Challenge Cup and a further three in the final round of qualifying matches next March.
The final 16 teams will take part in a 23 day festival of football, which the Socceroos will kick off on January 9 2015 in Melbourne, with the final set for Sydney’s Stadium Australia on January 31 2015.
The tournament is being jointly funded by the Australian Government and the NSW, Victorian, Queensland and ACT Governments.
The final list of NSW venues for Asian Cup 2015 pre-competition training camps include:
- Lavington Sports Ground, Albury
- Cessnock Sports Ground
- Coffs Harbour International Sports Stadium
- Wollongong Stadium
- Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Sydney
- Macquarie University, Sydney
- Marconi Stadium, Sydney
- Cromer Park, Sydney
- NSW Home of Football (Valentine Sports Park), Sydney
For more information on AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 visit www.afcasiancup.com
