Of course, it’s all about the red and blue when it comes to football in Manchester, but one thing we can all agree on is that women’s football is on the up and up. Now, Manchester City Women have submitted a planning application for a brand new purpose-built training facility to be built as part of the wider City Football Academy (CFA), just a few hundred metres away from Manchester City Women’s 7,000-seater Joie Stadium.
The proposals, which have a total value of up to £10 million, will see the creation of a stand-alone facility designed to house the women’s first team, and marks the latest chapter in the club’s continued investment into best-in-class facilities for the team.
Should the facility’s application be approved, it will open in 2025 and feature a hydrotherapy area, a high-performance gym and an analytics space all designed to enhance player development by mirroring the high-performance environment of the men’s first team.
During the planning stages, Manchester City Women worked closely with first team multi-disciplinary experts to ensure the facility best meets the specific needs of the players, and the 17,000 square foot building has also been designed so it can be expanded over time as the team continues to grow – so this isn’t the last you’ll hear about it.
As well as benefitting from a private training facility, Manchester City Women will continue to be a central part of the eco-system at the £200m City Football Academy meaning they can take advantage of the resources and know-how across the organisation’s wider operations and facilities.
Just a few hundred metres away from the proposed training facility is Manchester City Women’s 7-000-seater Joie Stadium – the first and biggest purpose-built stadium in the Barclays Women’s Super League – connected to the wider site that also features the men’s first team and Academy training facilities.
Manchester City captain, Steph Houghton, who has been with the club since its professional re-launch in 2014, said: “I’ve been incredibly proud to call the City Football Academy home for the past ten years and have seen first-hand how the integrated facilities we are a part of have contributed to the development of the women’s team.
“My team-mates and I have benefitted massively from working with the coaches, researchers, nutritionists and everyone else on site who have helped us to develop as professional footballers and compete at the highest level.
“As we look to take the next step in our journey of developing the women’s game, it’s right that we now develop our own purpose-built home, at the heart of City Football Academy, and I’m thrilled the Club has the ambition and commitment to keep investing in our future.”
We look forward to more advancements in the women’s game and we’re most definitely proud of the innovation shown right here in Manchester.