Tonight’s Australia Cup fixture between Devonport Strikers and Wellington Phoenix at Valley Road will be a historic night for the world game in Tasmania, says Football Tasmania CEO Matt Bulkeley.
The Strikers’ Round of 32 fixture against Wellington will be the first time a Tasmanian side has played against A-League opponents in a competitive fixture, with a large crowd expected to flock to Valley Road.
“Valley Road will be the hottest ticket in Tasmania tonight and the Devonport Strikers and the broader Tasmanian football community will be up for the occasion,” Mr Bulkeley said.
“The Strikers have been a dominant force in the NPL Tasmania competition for a number of years now, and have proven their ability to compete at the next level with strong showing in previous national cup campaigns.
“We’re beyond excited to see them host an international opponent in Wellington Phoenix, and regardless of the result, I’m sure Devonport will do the state proud.”
Mr Bulkeley said the fixture sets the stage for future elite football content to be held in Devonport.
“Valley Road has been undergoing significant upgrades in order to prepare the venue to be in the running to host Women’s World Cup basecamps thanks to funding from the Tasmanian Government, and it will be great to see the venue welcome a big crowd for tonight’s match,” he said.
“These upgrades also serve the purpose of setting Valley Road up to host elite level content in the future, as well as ensuring the venue is at the level it needs to be for the MyState Women’s Super League and McDonald’s NPL Tasmania competitions.”
Devonport Strikers vs Wellington Phoenix kicks off at 7.30pm, with tickets available at https://events.humanitix.com/devonport-city-strikers-v-s-wellington-phoenix-fc-australia-cup-2022?fbclid=IwAR3HOvdokZ8mYmBFOs2dfT6vef8PYpH0BLbnUarAyGH7pG6vHCucAq_f3w8
Tickets will also be available at the gate.
The match will be televised live and free at https://10play.com.au/