Holman Barnes Group Secured as Operator of Central Coast Mariners Women’s Team in Tripartite Agreement

The Holman Barnes Group has reached a heads of agreement with the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and Total Soccer Growth Holdings (TSG) to become the official operator of the Central Coast Mariners FC women’s team.

Under the tripartite agreement, Holman Barnes Group assumes all rights, obligations, and responsibilities for the women’s program, while TSG retains the club licence to operate the A-League Men’s side and the club Academy.

Highligting the intent behind the investment, CEO of Holman Barnes Group, Daniel Paton, said: “Our vision is to establish a sustainable, high-performance A-League Women’s program on the Central Coast that delivers elite football outcomes while embedding long-term participation and development pathways for female footballers across New South Wales.” 

“We believe elite women’s football programs must be built upon a dual foundation of participation and performance pathways.

“We want to create an enduring women’s football program on the Central Coast that expands participation opportunities, strengthens the pathways to elite domestic and international competition and advances the growth of women’s football, while preserving the strong community identity synonymous with the Central Coast Mariners.

“We’re thrilled to be embarking on this journey alongside TSG and the Central Coast Mariners, which will open the door to new opportunities for aspiring athletes and no doubt help grow this great game for generations to come,” Paton said.

Wlcoming the partnership, Total Soccer Growth Holdings’ – majority shareholder, Ruben Gnanalingam, added: “Today the work done as part of our promise from a month ago, to work hard, alongside APL, to find a credible candidate to take on the operation of the Central Coast Mariners’ women’s team, has come to fruition.”

“We are delighted to have struck an agreement with such a community-focused, Australian entity such as Holman Barnes Group.

“We will be providing Holman Barnes Group with support through our international network wherever possible,” Gnanalingam stated.

Praising the innovative structure behind the investment, APL chair, Stephen Conroy, noted: “We’re thrilled to have secured the future of the Central Coast Mariners’ women’s team, and establish this tripartite heads of agreement with TSG and Holman Barnes Group, to further strengthen the sporting pedigree of the Mariners and football in the Central Coast.”

“This is a unique model that ensures the long-term sustainability of the Central Coast Mariners, can generate enduring value for the Club, and potentially create other investment opportunities to drive the growth of the Ninja A-League Women.

“The Central Coast Mariners FC, their partners and fanbase, can now plan with certainty for season 2026/27 – with the fixtures for the Ninja A-League Women season to be released in the coming weeks,” Conroy noted. 

The transition of management begins immediately ahead of the Ninja A-League Women 2026/27 season kick-off on October 17, 2026, pending final regulatory checks.

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