'Save Canberra United', Capital Football breakdown forces fundraising redirection

The group now has two fundraising pages set up - both with targets of $100,000 - the how and when of how the money finds its way to Canberra United due to a growing divide with Capital Football.

It has registered and renamed as a not-for-profit organisation called "Canberra Women's Football", which will essentially give the group more independence and flexibility.

All money raised under the "Save Canberra United" cause - almost $85,000 - will go to the team and the players if a deal can be struck with Capital Football. New money raised from this week will go towards elite women's football in Canberra and supporting Canberra United in other ways to "fill the gap" for the club.

It's unclear what will happen if "Save Canberra United" organisers and Capital Football cannot agree on how to use the $85,000. The original intention was to use the money for the 2024-25 season. That remains the number one priority, but there may be a forced redirection to a later season when a new men's and women's consortium is greenlit by the A-Leagues.

The name change comes as the group claims it has been stonewalled by Capital Football, and are frustrated that money raised was not used to offer more lucrative contracts to players who have since left the club.

"We're going to continue to fundraise for Canberra United and ongoing development opportunities. It won't go to waste in terms of how it's used for women's soccer in Canberra," CWF spokesperson and former Matilda Sue Read told The Canberra Times.

"The aim is to be another supporting force in providing good pathways for the women's game in Canberra."

Read said using all money raised for Canberra United was the priority.

"If there's no way [the money] could be used this year, then it'll be used by the consortium the next season for the women's team."

Two fundraising streams run by CWF are still live online - one on Chuffed ($87,000) and a newer tax-deductible option on the Australian Sports Foundation ($2700).

Capital Football admits it still faces a $200,000 shortfall to run United without a loss and to operate the team "outside the bare minimum".

CWF started out with the best intentions to help bolster the finances available for United next season.

Capital Football was nearly forced to fold United due to increased running costs, if not for lifeline funding from the ACT government in April that kept the side alive for one more year, albeit with a "minimalistic budget".

However, a significant breakdown in the group's partnership with Capital Football now means fundraised money is more likely to be used to support ACT women's soccer.

The group always had the back-up plan in case United did fold, or it couldn't work with Capital Football to support the women's team, and now it appears unlikely the money will be used for its main initial purpose.

CWF are frustrated with the lack of communication and collaboration with Capital Football, delays in signing players and coaches, and the disappointing recent exits of United stars Chloe Lincoln, Sasha Grove and Nickoletta Flannery.

Matildas striker Michelle Heyman is still unsigned but with an Olympics on the horizon her value has never been higher, heaping more pressure on United to retain her.

Read blames Capital Football for not allowing the fundraised money to be used to sign players thus far, but it is understood a sticking point was that the sporting body was not willing to offer contracts beyond one year.

With other A-League teams offering multi-year deals, and United's direction for next season still unclear without a coach or any key players locked in, the whole situation has undoubtedly made securing contracts tougher.

"We're going a bit out of our minds with Capital Football," Read said.

"Since the money has been raised, Capital Football haven't engaged with a lot of transparency. We're at a point where we're really worried what's happening with the team.

"We'd spoken with [Capital Football chief executive] Sam Farrow about six weeks ago on needing to secure key players which is really what we needed the money for.

"She said she was working on signing players, but she also said they weren't sure if they would continue with [head coach] Njegosh Popovich, and opened up the coaching applications.

"That should all be wrapped up within a couple of days, but now there's still no coach, and most of our core players have left."

Read claims that some players requested as little as a few thousand dollars over the minimum salary amount of $25,000.

"In my more cynical moments it's starting to feel [Capital Football] don't want the team to succeed, or they want it to be the cheapest possible development team," she said.

"Many players wanted maybe $3,000 more than last year, and that was exactly what the fundraised money would be for," Read added.

"We checked and as long as the [contract amounts] are within the salary cap, even if the money comes from a Bunnings sausage sizzle, as long as they don't overspend - which United never do - it's fine.

"We didn't want to hand over the money unless we knew it would be used to support United. We have a legal agreement that's been drawn up that says we are willing to hand it over but only with transparency. They haven't yet given us transparency and assurances."

Read also claimed the consortium wanting to gain ownership of United from Capital Football has hit roadblocks with the soccer body.

Read said the consortium offered to take over management of United at "a really low cost" to assist next season, but Capital Football's lack of communication "extremely offended" the potential future owners and it never eventuated.

"They put a management model forward to Capital Football and said they need United to be successful before the men come on board," Read said.

"Capital Football stalled so much that the consortium eventually had to walk away.

"They were going to invest all their time in the next few months to bring on big sponsors, and to work on good player experience.

"It's not how you expect a professional team to run and Capital Football are not communicating appropriately with the community, media or government."

Capital Football is keen to clear the air later this week about its plans for Canberra United, with Farrow expected to provide an update on latest developments.