Northern NSW Football chief David Eland welcomed two NSW government announcements on Wednesday which are set to benefit female footballers in the region.
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One was a $750,000 investment by the NSW government to a talent identification and youth development program over the next three years to ensure aspiring Matildas from regional NSW have the same access to coaching and support as their peers in city locations.
The other was the announcement that sports facilities across regional NSW will benefit from new and improved women's change rooms and amenities through $50 million in funding from the NSW government's $2 billion Regional Growth Fund.
The $750,000 funding will focus on girls aged between 12 and 18 years old.
"This is about us identifying the most talented girls who our technical directors and coaches believe with the right coaching and support can be future Matildas," Eland said.
"It's going to be extremely targeted. This is not about more programs. It's about supporting the most talented athletes because the reality is it is so much harder and so much more expensive for a talented player, regardless or whether they are male or female, to reach their potential from regional areas.
"This funding is really important to break down barriers and provide us with more opportunities to provide these girls with the coaching and support they need."
Eland also said addressing a shortfall of female-dedicated change facilities and amenities across the region was a key focus of NNSWF.