A-League (Australia)
The A-League, officially known as the
A-League Men, is the top-tier professional football competition in Australia
and one of the strongest leagues in the Oceania–Asia region.
The league is organized by the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and
was launched in 2005 to replace the old National Soccer League (NSL).
The A-League includes teams from both Australia and New Zealand,
with Wellington Phoenix being the New Zealand representative.
History and facts
The A-League began in 2005 with eight founding clubs. Over time, the league expanded to include major cities like Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Wellington.
The most successful club in modern A-League history is Sydney FC, while other top contenders include Melbourne Victory and Brisbane Roar.
A-League clubs participate in the AFC Champions League, with Western Sydney Wanderers famously winning the tournament in 2014.
League system
The A-League has a franchise-based system with no promotion or relegation
(as of the 2020s).
It currently features 12 clubs.
Each team plays a regular-season schedule followed by a
Finals Series (Playoffs) to determine the champion.
Table 1. Structure of Australian professional football
| Competition | Tier |
|---|---|
| A-League Men | 1 |
| National Second Division (from 2025) | 2 |
| NPL (National Premier Leagues) | 3 |
Below the NPL, football is organized regionally across the states of Australia.
Stats
Teams with most titles
Table 2. Most A-League Championships
| Club | Championship Titles |
|---|---|
| Sydney FC | 5 |
| Melbourne Victory | 4 |
| Brisbane Roar | 3 |
| Western Sydney Wanderers | 1 |
| Central Coast Mariners | 3 |
| Adelaide United | 1 |
Major stadiums
Table 3. Major stadiums in the A-League
| Stadium | Home Club(s) | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Allianz Stadium | Sydney FC | 45,000 |
| AAMI Park | Melbourne Victory / Melbourne City | 30,000 |
| Suncorp Stadium | Brisbane Roar | 52,500 |
| Coopers Stadium | Adelaide United | 16,500 |
| CommBank Stadium | Western Sydney Wanderers | 30,000 |
Players
Famous players
- Tim Cahill
- Harry Kewell
- Thomas Broich
- Shinji Ono
- Besart Berisha
- Alessandro Del Piero
- Carlos Hernández
- Marco Rojas
A-League timeline
2004
The A-League is officially announced to replace the NSL.
2005
The first A-League season kicks off with eight clubs.
2014
Western Sydney Wanderers win the AFC Champions League.
2019
Western United FC joins, expanding the league.
2021
A-League clubs move under the independent APL system.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-League
https://www.aleagues.com.au
https://www.rsssf.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-League
https://www.aleagues.com.au
https://www.rsssf.org
