Soccer groups across regional Victoria say they hope the Socceroos showing at the 2022 World Cup can attract more players to local competitions, despite concerns about adequate coaching numbers.
The 2022 campaign saw the Socceroos reach the last 16 of the World Cup for just the second time in their history.
The last time they emerged from the group stage was in 2006.
Despite losing their round 16 clash to world number three Argentina on Sunday morning AEST, the national side picked up two victories against Tunisia and Denmark during the group stage — the side's highest number of victories at a World Cup.
Chief executive of Football Victoria Kimon Taliadoros said off the back of the men's World Cup, and the women's World Cup scheduled for Australia and New Zealand next year, they were already expecting a boost in player registrations for local competitions next season.
"We're anticipating between (a) 2 and 5 per cent increase in regional Victoria," he said.
Coach numbers 'a great challenge'
Mr Taliadoros said the expected increase was constrained by their ability to grow the game.
He said in metropolitan areas that was down to not having enough facilities and grounds to meet the expected demand, while the situation across regional Victoria was very different.
"The constraint for us in regional Victoria is being able to support clubs to ensure they have enough coaches," he said.
"Where there aren't enough coaches we're unable to organise teams.
"That's an area, in regional Victoria in particular, where the challenge is great."
'Make it as affordable as possible'
Over 5,000 players are registered across Football Victoria's north-east region, which stretches from as far west as Shepparton to as far east as Victoria's alpine region.
Regional development coordinator Lachlan Simpkin said it was important that they seized on any potential growth opportunities that both the men's and women's World Cups provided.
"Sometimes we’re competing with so many other sports that we kind of go by the wayside or get a little lost, especially where access is difficult and people have to travel massive amounts and cost of living pressures are coming up," he said.
"[It's] really important that we can ensure that we can capitalise on this demand and provide access to football in as many ways as possible and make it as affordable as possible."
Mr Simpkin said it was also important to establish more female-friendly facilities across the regions.
"Especially on the Albury side, we struggle to provide those facilities for females in a safe environment; for them to get changed and enjoy sport in general, not just our sport," he said.
"Also [we need] extra fields to account for that demand because there's no point wanting everyone to play football but then [there's] nowhere to play."
'We've got to take advantage of it'
President of the Albury/Wodonga Football Association Gregory Scott said he was very excited by the Socceroos performance at the 2022 World Cup as well as the prospect of next year's women's World Cup.
He said the association was getting ready for an expected surge in interest following the two events.
"It is a really important time for us," he said.
"It’s a great time but we’ve got to take advantage of it."
Another group hoping to see a numbers increase is the Horsham and District Soccer Club in Western Victoria.
Secretary Gavin Roberts said COVID had hit the club hard over the past several years, with their seniors side dropping off due to travel costs to play in Ballarat.
With just 20 junior players involved with the club last season, he said they would love to see a return to the numbers they saw the last time the Socceroos reached a World Cup round of 16.
"The 2006 period we probably went up a good 20 per cent, but back then we had 70 or 80 playing members at the time. So, we went from that, to over 100 after 2006," he said.
"If that sort of number happens again now it only looks good for the future.”
