The facility will become the City Football Group’s centre for football operations in the Asia Pacific region.

CFA Melbourne features advanced new training pitches for the Melbourne City first team, two elite youth team pitches, dedicated community pitches, world-class medical and sports science facilities and expansive new office space.

Employees of Melbourne City moved in last week while the club’s first team commenced training at the first class venue in advance of Friday night’s home match against Adelaide United.

"The establishment of the CFA Melbourne is great news for Melbourne City FC," Scott Munn, Melbourne City CEO, said.

"It allows us to bring all of our football, commercial and administrative staff together under one roof for the first time in a space designed and built to meet the needs of a professional football club."

To celebrate the formal commencement of operations at CFA Melbourne, members of the Australian football family, media, local government and City Football partners have been invited for an official tour of the facility of Friday.

"These facilities have been built to exactly the same standard as those in Manchester because we fundamentally believe in the provision of a world-class environment for the training and development of young players and coaches," Khaldoon Al Mubarak, chairman of Melbourne City FC and the City Football Group, said.

"It’s something that we also believe can be a competitive advantage for all of our clubs.

"The CFA Melbourne has been designed to help evolve, transform and sustain the sporting, commercial and community capabilities of Melbourne City Football Club while also serving as a strong centre of operations for the City Football Group in the Asia Pacific Region."

Melbourne City's first team will now train on the only “DESSO GrassMaster” pitch in Australia – which the club believes is the most advanced football playing surface anywhere in the country.

The club’s youth teams will now have access to the improved training pitches and facilities the first team has vacated.

For the first time, the club’s players will benefit from purpose-built medical facilities for treatment and rehabilitation, including a state-of-the-art hydrotherapy suite, and a custom-designed fitness centre tailored to their needs in preparation, recovery and rehabilitation.

The facility also includes dedicated community pitches for Melbourne City to run additional school-holiday programs and offers local football clubs and visiting community groups the opportunity to tour the facility and watch the A-League team train.

"The CFA Melbourne will give Melbourne City FC year-round access to an elite facility that matches the club’s ambitions and can support its long-term goals," Simon Pearce, vice chairman of Melbourne City FC and board director of the City Football Group, said.

The facility shares elements of its design and functionality with the landmark City Football Academy in Manchester that opened in December 2014 and houses the headquarters of Manchester City.

"The CFA Melbourne is connected directly to our main facility at the CFA in Manchester, operationally, philosophically and aesthetically," Ferran Soriano, CEO of the City Football Group, said.

"It will enable Melbourne City FC to fulfill its significant potential both on and off the pitch while deepening its ties to other clubs in the City family."