Australian soccer league system
(Redirected from Australian association football league system)
The Australian soccer league system is the league structure for soccer clubs in Australia. The league system in Australia since 1977 has involved one top divisional league controlled by Football Australia and many leagues run within each state below.[1] The National Soccer League stood from 1977 to 2004 as the top nationwide tier above the current state-based league systems, in 2005, the A-League (now A-League Men) was established as its successor. The introduction of the National Premier Leagues in 2013 introduced a direct second tier of soccer in Australia, underpinning the A-League.[2] The National Premier Leagues incorporated the existing state leagues as divisions with a nationwide end of season finals series. In 2013, the National Premier Leagues rebranded 5 of the 9 top state leagues, and the remainder – with the exception of the Northern Territory – joined in 2014.[2] There is no promotion and relegation to and from the top-tier A-League, and promotion and relegation at other levels varies between different state systems.
 A map showing the nine member federations of Football 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 the Australian Capital Territory, but not in the Northern Territory. |
| National system | |
| Federation | Football Australia |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Top division | |
| Second division | National Second Division (from 2025) |
| Cup competition | |
| Regional systems | |
| Federations | |
| Top divisions |
|
| Second divisions | |
| Soccer in Australia | |
A nationwide second-tier league competition with the working title, the National Second Division, has been proposed, with a start date of the 2025 season. In addition, it has been established that a promotion and relegation system will be set up to put in line with European leagues.[3]
The table excludes parallel leagues such as the A-League Youth, which runs in conjunction with the A-League as a national youth developmental and reserve league, or the A-League Women. The women's soccer league system in Australia is similar to that of the men's.
Current system (until 2024)
edit| Level | Leagues | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) |
Football Northern Territory 12 clubs (from 2 divisions) | |||||||||||||||
| NPL ACT 8 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1 |
NPL NSW 16 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1.5 |
NPL Northern NSW 12 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1 |
NPL Queensland 12 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 2 |
NPL SA 12 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 2 |
NPL Tasmania 8 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1.5 |
NPL Victoria 14 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 2 |
NPL WA 12 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1.75 |
NorZone Premier League 8 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Southern Zone Premier League 4 clubs no promotion no relegation | ||||||||
| 3 | Capital Premier League 8 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation |
NSW League One 16 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1.5 |
NNSW State League 1 9 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation |
Queensland Premier League 1 11 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 1 |
SA State League 1 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
Tasmania Northern Championship 8 clubs ↑ promote 0.75 no relegation |
Tasmania Southern Championship 10 clubs ↑ promote 0.75 no relegation |
Victorian Premier League 1 14 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
WA State League 1 12 clubs ↑ promote 1.75 ↓ relegate 1.5 |
NorZone Division 1 8 clubs no promotion |
|||||||
| 4 | Capital League 1 10 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1 |
NSW League 2 15 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 no relegation |
Regional 7 districts ↑ promote 1 |
Queensland Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
SA State League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
Tasmania Northern Social League 1 9 clubs no promotion |
Tasmania Southern Social League 1 6 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Victorian Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
WA State League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1 |
||||||||
| 5 | Capital League 2 10 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 1 |
Regional 19 districts no promotion |
Regional 9 districts ↑ promote 1 |
Regional 6 districts no promotion |
Tasmania Southern Social League 2 6 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Vic State League 1 North-West 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 |
Vic State League 1 South-East 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 |
Regional 12 districts ↑ promote 1 |
|||||||||
| 6 | Capital League 3 10 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation |
Tasmania Southern Social League 3 6 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Vic State League 2 North-West 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
Vic State League 2 South-East 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
|||||||||||||
| 7 | Capital League 4 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Tasmania Southern Social League 4 8 clubs no promotion |
Vic State League 3 North-West 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
Vic State League 3 South-East 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
|||||||||||||
| 8 | Capital League 5 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Vic SL 4 North 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 |
Vic SL 4 West 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 |
Vic SL 4 South 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 |
Vic SL 4 East 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 |
||||||||||||
| 9 | Capital League 6 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Vic SL 5 North 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
Vic SL 5 West 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
Vic SL 5 South 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
Vic SL 5 East 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
||||||||||||
| 10 | Capital League 7 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Regional 15 districts no promotion |
|||||||||||||||
| 11 | Capital League 8 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Capital League 9 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Capital League 10 Blue 10 clubs no promotion |
Capital League 10 Gold 10 clubs no promotion |
|||||||||||||||
From 2025 onwards
edit| Level | Leagues | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A-League Men 14 clubs (2 from New Zealand) (from 2025–26) no relegation | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | National Second Division 10 or 12 clubs no promotion no relegation | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) |
Football Northern Territory 12 clubs (from 2 divisions) | |||||||||||||||
| NPL ACT 8 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1 |
NPL NSW 16 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1.5 |
NPL Northern NSW 12 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1.5 |
NPL Queensland 12 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 2 |
NPL SA 12 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 2 |
NPL Tasmania 8 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1.5 |
NPL Victoria 14 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 2 |
NPL WA 12 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1.75 |
NorZone Premier League 8 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Southern Zone Premier League 4 clubs no promotion no relegation | ||||||||
| 4 | Capital Premier League 8 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation |
NSW League One 16 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1.5 |
NNSW State League 1 10 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1 |
Queensland Premier League 1 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
SA State League 1 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
Tasmania Northern Championship 8 clubs ↑ promote 0.75 no relegation |
Tasmania Southern Championship 10 clubs ↑ promote 0.75 no relegation |
Victorian Premier League 1 14 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
WA State League 1 12 clubs ↑ promote 1.75 ↓ relegate 1.5 |
NorZone Division 1 8 clubs no promotion |
|||||||
| 5 | Capital League 1 10 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1 |
NSW League Two 16 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 no relegation |
Regional 7 districts ↑ promote 1 |
Queensland Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 1 |
SA State League 2 North 8 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
SA State League 2 South 8 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
Tasmania Northern Social League 1 9 clubs no promotion |
Tasmania Southern Social League 1 6 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Victorian Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
WA State League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1 |
|||||||
| 6 | Capital League 2 10 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 1 |
Regional 19 districts no promotion |
Regional 9 districts ↑ promote 1 |
Regional 6 districts no promotion |
Tasmania Southern Social League 2 6 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Vic State League 1 North-West 14 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 |
Vic State League 1 South-East 14 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 |
Regional 12 districts ↑ promote 1 |
|||||||||
| 7 | Capital League 3 10 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation |
Tasmania Southern Social League 3 6 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Vic State League 2 North-West 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
Vic State League 2 South-East 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
|||||||||||||
| 8 | Capital League 4 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Tasmania Southern Social League 4 8 clubs no promotion |
Vic State League 3 North-West 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
Vic State League 3 South-East 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
|||||||||||||
| 9 | Capital League 5 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Vic SL 4 North 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 |
Vic SL 4 West 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 |
Vic SL 4 South 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 |
Vic SL 4 East 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 |
||||||||||||
| 10 | Capital League 6 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Vic SL 5 North 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
Vic SL 5 West 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
Vic SL 5 South 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
Vic SL 5 East 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
||||||||||||
| 11 | Capital League 7 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Regional 15 districts no promotion |
|||||||||||||||
| 12 | Capital League 8 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Capital League 9 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Capital League 10 Blue 10 clubs no promotion |
Capital League 10 Gold 10 clubs no promotion |
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See also
edit
- Capital Football pyramid, for a list of their league systems
- Football Queensland pyramid, for a list of their league systems
- Football South Australia pyramid, for a list of their league systems
- Football Victoria pyramid, for a list of their league systems
- League system, for a list of similar systems in other countries
- List of association football competitions
References
edit- ^ Andrew Robinson. "Complete final season tables". elitetograssroots.net. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ a b "National Premier Leagues". footballaustralia.com.au. Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ "Football Australia opens expressions of interest for National Second Tier Men's Competition". Football Australia. 3 February 2023. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.