INVESTMENT in soccer infrastructure is reaching fever pitch across the northern and western suburbs as councils work hard to keep up with the game's growing popularity.
In Brimbank, soccer is booming. The municipality has 2781 registered players - the highest number in Melbourne's north-west.
A north-west soccer strategy report has earmarked the John Ilhan Reserve at Broadmeadows Valley Park as a potential site to be developed as a regional soccer centre.
In the past three years, Hume Council has spent more than $1million improving its soccer facilities.
Projects have included $750,000 to install a synthetic soccer pitch at Broadmeadows Valley Park, training lights at Langama Park Reserve, and warm-season grass conversions on several pitches, including Gibb and Tullamarine reserves.
At Melton Shire it's a similar story.
The council has spent almost $4million in the past three years on soccer-related infrastructure, including five synthetic pitches and two turf training fields.
This year the shire opened the $1.8million Springside recreation precinct in Caroline Springs, which has two synthetic soccer pitches, and the $2.1million Kurranjang and Brookside recreation reserves, which have a total of three pitches.
Melton Council's leisure and library services manager Adam Boyle said the shire was planning for further growth in the sport, now ranked in
the shire behind Australian rules, golf and tennis.
More established areas such as Maribyrnong and Brimbank are also keeping up with the surge in soccer.
Brimbank, which has the most people playing soccer in the west, opened its $1.9 million Keilor Park Recreation Reserve last December.
The venue has two FIFA-approved synthetic soccer fields.
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