Nike, in partnership with Football Victoria, is announcing the Nike FC Accelerator Program, designed to drive gender equity in football, and sport, and empower the next generation of athletes.
Predominately based at the new Home of the Matildas, the Nike FC Accelerator Program is a four-year commitment to fuel female athletes. It focuses on increasing female leadership by funding certified coaching programs, offering existing female coaches the opportunity to upgrade their license, and elevating female coaches on Nike channels. The program follows the success of a recent Nike coaching education investment, which has already doubled the number of female C-License coaches in Victoria. This month, 30 more coaches will graduate, leading to nearly 600 accredited female coaches in the region; Nike’s latest investment will increase this number by 26% in year one.
The Nike FC Accelerator Program also gives the Nike Football Community, which includes thousands of young women and girls throughout Victoria, access to the Home of the Matildas’ world-class facilities and the dedicated Nike FC pitch, promoting women’s sport and football participation.
The Nike FC Accelerator Program is an extension of an existing five-year partnership with Football Victoria as the sponsor of the women’s state knockout tournament—the Nike FC Cup—which has been a growing success. As part of the partnership, Nike covers entry fees to help remove financial barriers, open opportunities for more teams to participate, and create an equal playing field for all women involved in the sport.
This new partnership expands Nike’s existing commitment to grassroots community initiatives, providing access to football, sport, and play for kids around Australia, benefiting organizations like Fitzroy Lions Soccer Club, Helping Hoops, National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy (NASCA), and the Dylan Alcott Foundation.
The Nike FC Accelerator Program serves as further evidence of the company’s industry-leading investment in women, girls, football, and sport. Nike’s commitment to growing women’s sports and building a better game is exemplified through listening to athletes, holistic support, and collaborative efforts to bring about positive change through sport.