Football
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Central Coast Mariners set for A-League Women's return in 2023-24

The Central Coast Mariners will return to the A-League Women next season as the competition's 12th team.

The Mariners were granted a provisional licence earlier this year, subject to approval by the Australian FA Board, but were not officially welcomed into the competition until Monday morning.

Central Coast were one of eight teams to contest the inaugural A-League Women season in 2008-09, but exited the competition after two campaigns due to financial constraints.

The Mariners' repatriation into the league for the 2023-24 season leaves Macarthur FC as the only A-League Men's side unrepresented in the women's competition.

The Mariners have wasted little time unveiling their inaugural signing, local forward Annalise Rasmussen, who has progressed through the club's academy.

Central Coast Mariners CEO Shaun Mielekamp said the club looked forward to welcoming more local talent into the A-League Women's.

"It is so exciting to get to this point finally," Mielekamp said in a statement. "Every young footballer on the Central Coast can now see a pathway from grassroots all the way through to the national teams without having to leave the Coast."

The Mariners will play home games at Central Coast Stadium, like their counterparts in the A-League Men's.

"Playing at Central Coast Stadium was integral to everything that we as a club are passionate about," Mielekamp said. "That is what we do for the boys, we produce Socceroos, and now our task is to produce Matildas."

The 2022-23 A-League Women season begins on Nov. 19, with Western United entering the competition.

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