Image: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with the England teamThe Football Association (FA) has officially launched its new £100m National Football Centre in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire.
Named St. George's Park, the facility held its first full England national team training session yesterday (9 October) which was attended by the Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cambridge and FA chair David Bernstein.
All 24 representative England squads will make use of the 330-acre complex while the League Managers Association is to be headquartered at the site.
It will also provide a base for training referees, administrators and to provide career pathways into the game.
Facilities include a full-sized, indoor 3G football pitch equipped with a viewing gallery for up to 200 people, a 60mx40m multipurpose indoor sports hall, 11 full-size outdoor pitches and one elite DESSO training pitch which is an exact replica of the pitch at Wembley - the FA's home ground.
There is also a 25,000sq ft, bespoke sports medicine, rehabilitation and performance centre operated by Perform, part of Spire Healthcare.
Accommodation at the centre is provided by a 142-room Hilton hotel and an 86-room Hampton by Hilton hotel.
Culture secretary Maria Miller, who attended the opening, said: "The opening of St George's Park is a landmark moment for football in this country, which will help strengthen our national game at all levels. This summer has shown the importance that sport has at the heart of the British nation.
"It is through projects and investments such as St George's Park that the next generation of coaches can be identified and nurtured, helping to develop the England stars of the future.
"Good coaching is vital for a sport to grow, and I am very pleased that Government and the National Lottery have been able to invest £6m to help open up these fantastic facilities for local communities and schools."
