Sydney

Monday 11 September 2017

The tenth season of the Westfield W-League will kick-off with a bang with three of the four opening round matches broadcast on FOX SPORTS including a Grand Final rematch between Perth Glory and Melbourne City FC at nib Stadium.

Brimming with Westfield Matildas and international playing talent, bolstered by the announcement of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement and buoyed by an enhanced TV Broadcast deal, the tenth edition of the Westfield W-League is shaping up as one the most exciting and competitive to date.

Round 1 of the Westfield W-League 2017/18 Season will see Sydney FC host Brisbane Roar FC in the opening match on Friday 27 October at Allianz Stadium with Perth Glory meeting Melbourne City FC later that evening in a must-see Grand Final rematch. Melbourne Victory take on Canberra United on Saturday afternoon at Epping Stadium and the Newcastle Jets will be up against the Western Sydney Wanderers FC at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Westfield W-League 2018 Finals Series will be played on Sunday 11 February with the Westfield W-League 2018 Grand Final scheduled for Sunday 18 February.

A clear highlight of the Westfield W-League 2017/18 Season draw is the first ever Sydney Derby Double-Header on Saturday 9 December at ANZ Stadium with the Westfield W-League match kicking off at 5:00pm before the same Hyundai A-League match kicks-off at 7:50pm.

In total, twenty-seven (27) Westfield W-League matches will be seen live this season on FOX SPORTS which is ten more than the seventeen (17) matches broadcast last season.

FFA Head of Hyundai A-League & Westfield W-League, Greg O’Rourke, was proud to release the 10^th edition of the Westfield W-League Season draw.

“The competition has come a long way since the inaugural season which began in 2008.

“During the off-season, we have worked very closely with the clubs, venues and FOX SPORTS to produce what I believe is the best Westfield W-League draw to date.

“There are twenty-five (25) Westfield W-League/Hyundai A-League double headers through-out the season which gives fans the opportunity to see more football.

“In addition, the kick-off times during the Summer months have been fixed at later times for player and spectator comfort.

“The biggest enhancement is the twenty-seven (27) Westfield W-League matches which will be seen on FOX SPORTS.  I would to take this opportunity to thank Patrick Delany as his team at FOX SPORTS for increasing their commitment to broadcasting Women’s Football and we look forward to watching more hours of the Westfield W-League season than ever before,” concluded O’Rourke.

Key features of the Westfield W-League 2017/18 Season draw

• Westfield W-League 2017/18 Season will be played over 14 Rounds (54 matches) followed by the Westfield W-League 2018 Finals Series (3 matches)
• Twenty (25) Westfield W-League/Hyundai A-League Double-Header matches (which includes 3 matches scheduled after Hyundai A-League matches)
• Majority of matches scheduled to avoid clashes with Hyundai A-League fixtures (i.e. avoiding market clashes or when the club’s Hyundai A-League team has been scheduled to play)
• Improved kick-off times during peak summer months with majority of matches across the entirety of the Season Draw scheduled to kick-off no earlier than 4pm (local)
• Twenty-seven (27) matches to be seen on FOX SPORTS (including all three Westfield W-League 2018 Finals Series matches) up from 17 (2016/17 season)
• Three (3) broadcast fixtures in Round 1 – including Grand Final re-match between Perth Glory and Melbourne City FC @ nib Stadium on opening match day and Sydney FC v Brisbane Roar FC @ Allianz Stadium
• Majority of Sunday broadcast matches scheduled to kick-off at 4:30 pm (local) during peak summer months, leading in to 7pm kick-offs for Hyundai A-League fixtures (10 of the 12 Sunday broadcast fixtures Westfield W-League / Hyundai A-League Double-Header matches)
• Each club will host at least two home broadcast matches during the Westfield W-League 2017/18 Season
• Alternate market fixtures to expand the reach of the Westfield W-League in selected areas:
  • Round 6 - Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory @ Cromer Park, Cromer, NSW
  • Round 12 - Perth Glory v Canberra United @ Hay Park, Bunbury, WA
  • Round 14 - Sydney FC v Western Sydney Wanderers FC @ Seymour Shaw Park, Miranda, NSW
• Westfield W-League 2018 Finals Series scheduled as stand-alone matches which coincides with Hyundai A-League Split Round 20
• The Westfield W-League 2018 Semi Finals will be played on Sunday 11 February with the Westfield W-League 2018 Grand Final scheduled for Sunday 18 February.

For all membership, ticketing, news and match information including exclusive behind-the-scenes content on the Westfield W-League visit www.w-league.com.au.