Australian soccer league system
![]() 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 | |
Cup competition | |
Regional systems | |
Federations | |
Top divisions |
|
Second divisions | |
Soccer in Australia |
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 (NLS) stood from 1977 to 2004 as the top nationwide tier above the current state-based league systems.[2][3] In 2005, the A-League (now A-League Men) was established as its successor.[4][5]
The introduction of the National Premier Leagues (NPL) in 2013 introduced a direct second tier of soccer in Australia, underpinning the A-League.[6] 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.[7] The remainder – with the exception of the Northern Territory – joined in 2014.[7]
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.[8][9]
Table
[edit]The table excludes parallel leagues such as the A-League Women. The women's soccer league system in Australia is similar to that of the men's.[10][11]
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 1.5 |
NPL Queensland 12 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 2 |
NPL SA 12 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 2 |
NPL Tasmania 8 clubs no promotion no relegation |
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 |
Northern League One 10 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1 |
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 no promotion no relegation |
Tasmania Southern Championship 10 clubs no promotion 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 Two 15 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 no relegation |
Regional 7 districts no promotion |
Queensland Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
SA State League 2 North 8 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation |
SA State League 2 South 8 clubs ↑ promote 1 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 |
See also
[edit]- Capital Football pyramid
- Football Queensland pyramid
- Football South Australia pyramid
- Football Victoria pyramid
- League system, for a list of similar systems in other countries
- List of association football competitions
References
[edit]- ^ Robinson, Andrew. "Complete final season tables". elitetograssroots.net. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Dockerty Cup History Series: The NSL and Cup's demise". Football Victoria. 31 July 2024. Archived from the original on 18 December 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
- ^ "New soccer league slated for 2004". Sydney Morning Herald. 9 December 2003. Archived from the original on 16 June 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
- ^ "All square in A-League preseason matches". ABC News. 23 July 2005. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
- ^ Cockerill, Michael (26 August 2005). "A league of their own". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 29 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
- ^ Gorman, Joe (9 December 2013). "Why the NPL matters for Australian football". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ a b "National Premier Leagues". Football Australia. Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ Monteverde, Marco (6 November 2023). "Football Australia confirms second division details...with a catch". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 12 February 2025. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
- ^ "2024 NPL/League 1 Men's Promotion and Relegation Playoff details Announced". Football NSW. 26 August 2024. Archived from the original on 11 September 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
- ^ "The Women's Season is about to start! Here's everything you need to know". Football SA. 14 March 2024. Archived from the original on 4 November 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
- ^ "Women's & Men's Promotion, Relegation & Play-Offs for the 2024 Season". Football Victoria. 14 May 2024. Archived from the original on 25 October 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2025.