A-League side Western Sydney's relocation to Olympic Park "is set to start earlier than expected, with the club set to hold the A-League grand final at ANZ Stadium" should it win hosting rights of the decider, according to Dominic Bossi of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. It "would be a record crowd for a domestic competitive club match in Australia." The Wanderers are "as little as two games away from hosting the grand final" and Football Federation Australia is set to "gamble on staging the biggest match of the season at the 83,000 capacity venue for the first time." FFA has "all but ruled out" using any other venue in Sydney should the Wanderers host the grand final. The governing body is confident of attracting a "large enough crowd at ANZ Stadium regardless of the opponent due to the demand for tickets to previous grand finals," including the sell-out crowd of more than 42,000 that packed Allianz Stadium in '13 when the Wanderers last hosted the decider. While a Wanderers home grand final will be held at ANZ Stadium, a home elimination final will "likely be played at Pirtek Stadium." FFA dictates venues during the finals and is "keen to avoid playing a home Wanderers game in the backyard" of rival Sydney FC, having "all but ruled out Allianz Stadium as a potential venue" (SMH, 4/7).
