 A map showing the nine member federations ofFootball Australia, which each control their respective state-based competitions. | |
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| Sport | Soccer |
| Promotion and relegation | No national system of promotion and relegation. Promotion and relegation does exist in every state and theAustralian Capital Territory, but not in theNorthern Territory. |
| National system | |
| Federation | Football Australia |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Top division | |
| Second division | |
| Cup competition | |
| Regional systems | |
| Federations | |
| Top divisions | |
| Second divisions | |
| Soccer in Australia | |
TheAustralian soccer league system is theleague structure forsoccer clubs inAustralia.[1] The league system in Australia since 1977 has involved one top divisional league controlled byFootball Australia and many leagues run within eachstate below.[2][3]
TheNational Soccer League (NSL) stood from1977 to2004 as the top nationwide tier above the current state-based league systems.[4][5] In2005, theA-League (known asA-League Men since2021) was established as its successor.[6][7]
The introduction of theNational Premier Leagues (NPL) in2013 introduced a direct second tier of soccer in Australia, underpinning the A-League.[8] The NPL incorporated the existing state leagues as divisions with a nationwide end of season finals series, rebranding five of the nine top state leagues.[9] The remainder – with the exception of theNorthern Territory – joined in2014.[9]
There is nopromotion and relegation to and from the top-tier A-League, and promotion and relegation at other levels varies between different state systems.[10][11]
The national second-tierAustralian Championship is a tournament contested after the finish of theNational Premier Leagues.
| Level | Total clubs | League(s) / division(s) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | A-League Men 12 clubs (2 fromNew Zealand) – no relegation | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | 104 | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs – 8 divisions |
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| 3 | 106 |
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| 4 | 99 |
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| 5 | 48 |
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| 6 | 42 |
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| 7 | 32 |
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| 8 | 33 |
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| 9 | 36 |
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| 10 | 36 |
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| 11 | 33 |
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| 12 | 20 |
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The women's soccer league system in Australia is similar to that of the men's.[12][13]
| Level | Total clubs | League(s) / division(s) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | A-League Women 11 clubs (1 fromNew Zealand) – no relegation | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | 91 | National Premier Leagues Women's 94 clubs – 8 divisions |
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 52 |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 41 |
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| 5 | 14 |
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| 6 | 10 |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 12 |
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| 8 | 11 |
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| National teams |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League competitions |
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| Cup competitions | |||||
| Others | |||||
| Lists | |||||
