Preparations for the first football match at Bankwest Stadium are well underway with the Australian-first safe standing area installed and tested with just one month to go until the game.
The Western Sydney Wanderers will face iconic English club Leeds United on Saturday 20 July with football fans itching to be part of the historic event.
Tickets are selling fast and fans are encouraged to get in quick to secure their seat here
A small group of Wanderers Members became the first fans to see the safe standing in action today when they were joined by Wanderers defender Tarek Elrich and Wanderers CEO John Tsatsimas at the Stadium.
Only a section of the active support area was tested, but when fully deployed 1260 seats will be removed from Bankwest Stadium’s northern end and replaced with rails to accommodate 1260 standing spaces.
“This is a new beginning for the club,” said Elrich.
“The fans, the players and the coaches all expect results here and hopefully we can fill the Stadium.
“When the fans are out here supporting us we feel that on the pitch and we’d love to see this new active support area packed with the Red and Black.
“Leeds have a very rich culture and they’re a massive club so to have them come out here and play against us in the new Stadium next month is something we’ll never forget.”
Western Sydney Wanderers v Leeds United on 20 July will be the first time the safe standing area is activated at Bankwest Stadium and the first time it will be implemented in Australia.
The dedicated active support area is being hailed as a game-changer for fans and will only add to the Wanderers famous atmosphere.
“This safe standing represents a landmark moment for Australian football,” said Wanderers CEO John Tsatsimas.
“It’s something we’ve lobbied for long and hard and now it’s come to fruition. It’s the first time an Australian football team has been able to have a safe standing area, and we’re glad to be leading the charge in terms of active support.
“Tomorrow marks 30 days to go until we play Leeds here and it’s going to be a monumental day for the Western Sydney Wanderers.”
The Wanderers are set to play all 13 home matches at Bankwest Stadium from the 2019/2020 Hyundai A-League season onwards.
The Wanderers’ W-League team will also play matches at Bankwest Stadium from next season.