2025–26 in Australian soccer

Soccer in Australia
Season2025–26
Australia

The 2025–26 season is the 57th season of national competitive association football in Australia and 143rd overall.

National teams

Men's senior

Friendlies

10 October 2025 Canada  v  Australia Montreal, Canada
19:30 UTC−4 Source Stadium: Saputo Stadium

Women's senior

Friendlies

The following is a list of friendlies (to be) played by the women's senior national team in 2025–26.

5 July 2025 Australia  0–1  Panama Bunbury, Australia
14:30 UTC+8 Report
  • King 59'
Stadium: Hands Oval
Attendance: 10,272
Referee: Anna-Marie Keighley (New Zealand)
8 July 2025 Australia  3–2  Panama Perth, Australia
18:00 UTC+8
Report
Stadium: HBF Park
Attendance: 10,657
Referee: Anna-Marie Keighley (New Zealand)
25 October 2025 Wales  v  Australia Cardiff, Wales
14:00 UTC+0 Source Stadium: Cardiff City Stadium

2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup

Men's under-23

Friendlies

The following is a list of friendlies (to be) played by the men's under-23 national team in 2025–26.

2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification

3 September 2025 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification Australia  v  Northern Mariana Islands Xi'an, China
15:30 UTC+8 Source Stadium: Fengdong Football Park East Stadium
6 September 2025 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification Timor-Leste  v  Australia Xi'an, China
15:30 UTC+8 Source Stadium: Fengdong Football Park East Stadium

Women's under-23

Football Australia decided to sent the under-23 team to the 2025 ASEAN Women's Championship.[1]

ASEAN Women's Championship

7 August 2025 Group stage Myanmar  2–1  Australia Phú Thọ, Vietnam
16:30 UTC+7
Report
Stadium: Việt Trì Stadium
Referee: Yoshimi Yamashita (Japan)
13 August 2025 Group stage Australia  9–0  Timor-Leste Phú Thọ, Vietnam
19:30 UTC+7
Report Stadium: Việt Trì Stadium
Referee: Mu Mingxin (China)
16 August 2025 Semi-final Vietnam  1–2  Australia Haiphong, Vietnam
20:00 UTC+7 Report
Stadium: Lạch Tray Stadium
Attendance: 16,890
Referee: Yoshimi Yamashita (Japan)
19 August 2025 Final Myanmar  0–1  Australia Haiphong, Vietnam
19:30 UTC+7 Report
Stadium: Lạch Tray Stadium
Attendance: 4,286
Referee: Yoshimi Yamashita (Japan)

Men's under-20

Friendlies

The following is a list of friendlies (to be) played by the men's under-20 national team in 2025–26.

FIFA U-20 World Cup

The draw for the group stage was held on 29 May, with Australia grouped with Italy, Argentina and Cuba.[2]

Women's under-20

Friendlies

The following is a list of friendlies (to be) played by the women's under-20 national team in 2025–26.

AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup qualification

After their poor showing at the U20 World Cup in 2024, the beginning of the next cycle of qualification begins in August, with Australia in Pot 1 due to their third-place finish in the last U20 Asian Cup.[3]

6 August 2025 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers Australia  14–0  Tajikistan Dushanbe, Tajikistan
22:00 UTC+5
  • Halmarick 3', 7', 20', 42'
  • Breier 22'
  • Caspers 28'
  • Ochildieva 31' (o.g.)
  • Fuller 48'
  • Prakash 50' (pen.), 72'
  • Saveska 58', 82', 90+4'
  • Luchtmeijer 89'
Report Stadium: Pamir Stadium
Referee: Dong Fangyu (China)
8 August 2025 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers Palestine  0–3  Australia Dushanbe, Tajikistan
19:00 UTC+5 Report
  • Trimis 8'
  • Luchtmeijer 68'
  • Lobo 80'
Stadium: Pamir Stadium
Referee: Haruna Kanematsu (Japan)
10 August 2025 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers Australia  3–0  Chinese Taipei Dushanbe, Tajikistan
19:00 UTC+5
  • Lin Szu-ying 37' (o.g.)
  • Halmarick 64', 76'
Report Stadium: Pamir Stadium
Referee: Dong Fangyu (China)

Men's under-17

Friendlies

The following is a list of friendlies (to be) played by the men's under-17 national team in 2025–26.

AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualification

Women's under-17

Friendlies

The following is a list of friendlies (to be) played by the women's under-17 national team in 2025–26.

ASEAN U-16 Women's Championship

21 August 2025 Group stage Australia  v  Thailand Surakarta, Indonesia
15:30 WIB Source Stadium: Sriwedari Stadium
23 August 2025 Group stage Singapore  v  Australia Surakarta, Indonesia
19:30 WIB Source Stadium: Sriwedari Stadium

AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup qualification

AFC competitions

AFC Champions League Elite

Melbourne City qualified to the League stage as runners-up in the 2024–25 A-League Men. The Premiers Auckland FC could not qualify for Asian Football Confederation competitions as they are based in New Zealand, which is part of the Oceania Football Confederation.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Thailand Buriram United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to round of 16
2 China Chengdu Rongcheng 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 South Korea FC Seoul 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 South Korea Gangwon FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Malaysia Johor Darul Ta'zim 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Japan Machida Zelvia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Australia Melbourne City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Japan Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 China Shanghai Port 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 China Shanghai Shenhua 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 South Korea Ulsan HD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Japan Vissel Kobe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 16 September 2025. Source: Asian Football Confederation
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) penalty shoot-out if only two teams remain tied and played each other on the final matchday 6) fair play ranking; 7) drawing of lots

AFC Champions League Two

Macarthur FC qualified to the Group stage as winners of the 2024 Australia Cup.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 China Beijing Guoan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to round of 16
2 Australia Macarthur 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Hong Kong Tai Po 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Vietnam Công An Hà Nội 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 18 September 2025. Source:
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

AFC Women's Champions League

Melbourne City qualified for the competition as Premiers of the 2024–25 A-League Women.[4]

Domestic leagues

A-League Men

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Adelaide United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for AFC Champions League Elite and Finals series
2 Auckland FC[a] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for Finals series[b]
3 Brisbane Roar 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Central Coast Mariners 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Macarthur FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Melbourne City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Melbourne Victory 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Newcastle Jets 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Perth Glory 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for 2026 Australia Cup play-offs
10 Sydney FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Wellington Phoenix[a] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Western Sydney Wanderers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Western United (W) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Withdrawn[c]
First match(es) will be played: 17 October 2025. Source: A-Leagues
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) wins; 5) head-to-head results; 5a) head-to-head points; 5b) head-to-head goal difference; 6) Fair Play points; 7) away goal difference; 8) away goals per match; 9) home goal difference; 10) home goals per match; 11) toss of a coin in an event of a tie of two clubs.
(W) Withdrawn before the start of the season.
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix cannot qualify for Asian Football Confederation competitions as they are based in New Zealand, which is part of the Oceania Football Confederation.
  2. ^ The top two teams enter the finals series at the semi-finals, while the teams ranked third to sixth enter the finals series at the elimination-finals.
  3. ^ Western United's license was revoked on 8 August 2025.[5] The decision has been appealed by the club.[6]

A-League Women

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Adelaide United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for AFC Women's Champions League and Finals series
2 Brisbane Roar 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for Finals series
3 Canberra United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Central Coast Mariners 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Melbourne City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Melbourne Victory 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Newcastle Jets 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Perth Glory 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Sydney FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Wellington Phoenix[a] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Western Sydney Wanderers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Western United (W) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Withdrawn[b]
First match(es) will be played: 31 October 2025. Source: A-Leagues
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) wins; 5) head-to-head results; 5a) head-to-head points; 5b) head-to-head goal difference; 6) Fair Play points; 7) away goal difference; 8) away goals per match; 9) home goal difference; 10) home goals per match; 11) toss of a coin in an event of a tie of two clubs.
(W) Withdrawn before the start of the season.
Notes:
  1. ^ Wellington Phoenix cannot qualify for the AFC Women's Champions League as they are based in New Zealand, which is part of the Oceania Football Confederation.
  2. ^ Western United's licence was revoked on 8 August 2025.[7] The decision has been appealed by the club.[8]

National Premier Leagues

The following teams qualified for the 2025 Australian Championship:

Competition Club
2025 NPL Capital Football
2025 NPL NSW NWS Spirit
2025 NPL Northern NSW Broadmeadow Magic
2025 NPL Queensland
2025 NPL South Australia North Eastern MetroStars
2025 NPL Tasmania
2025 NPL Victoria
2025 NPL Western Australia Bayswater City

Australian Championship

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 South Melbourne 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for Finals series
2 Sydney Olympic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 2025 NPL Queensland Premiers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Broadmeadow Magic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 10 October. Source: NNSWF
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Marconi Stallions 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for Finals series
2 Wollongong Wolves 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 2025 NPL Victoria Premiers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 2025 NPL Tasmania Premiers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: in October. Source: NNSWF
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Avondale FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for Finals series
2 Preston Lions 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 NWS Spirit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 2025 NPL Capital Football Premiers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 11 October. Source: NNSWF
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 APIA Leichhardt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for Finals series
2 Sydney United 58 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 North Eastern MetroStars 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Bayswater City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: in October. Source: NNSWF

Domestic cups

Australia Cup

Round of 32Round of 16Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
                  
Heidelberg United 2
Weston Bears 0
Heidelberg United 3
Western Sydney Wanderers 0
Peninsula Power0
Western Sydney Wanderers3
Heidelberg United 4
Wellington Phoenix0
Darwin Olympic 0
Nunawading City 9
Nunawading City 0
Wellington Phoenix 1
Perth Glory 1 (7)
Wellington Phoenix (p) 1 (8)
Heidelberg United
 
Northern Tigers 0
Sydney United 581
Sydney United 58 0
Sydney FC 2
Western United 0
Sydney FC 1
Sydney FC
Auckland FC
South Hobart 1
South Melbourne 2
South Melbourne 0
Auckland FC3
Gold Coast Knights 0
Auckland FC 4
 
 
Avondale FC 5
Stirling Macedonia 1
Avondale FC 3
APIA Leichhardt 1
APIA Leichhardt 2
Melbourne City 0
Avondale FC 6
Brisbane City2
Brisbane City 2
Olympic FC 0
Brisbane City (p) 1 (4)
Olympic Kingsway 1 (3)
Olympic Kingsway (a.e.t.) 4
Melbourne Victory 3
Avondale FC
 
Adelaide Croatia Raiders 2
Cooks Hill United3
Cooks Hill United 0
Newcastle Jets 5
Newcastle Jets 2
Adelaide United 1
Newcastle Jets
Macarthur FC
Canberra Croatia 0
North Eastern MetroStars 4
North Eastern MetroStars 0
Macarthur FC 2
SD Raiders 0
Macarthur FC 5

Retirements

References

  1. ^ "Australia's next gen returns to ASEAN Women's Championships". Football Australia. 10 July 2025.
  2. ^ "Young Socceroos' FIFA U20 World Cup 2025 Fixtures Set". the Mirage. 30 May 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  3. ^ "CommBank Young Matildas opponents revealed for AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers". Football Australia. 29 April 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  4. ^ "Melbourne City to enter AFC Women's Champions League". Twitter.com. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  5. ^ Rugari, Vince (8 August 2025). "Aloisi 'devastated' as former champions Western United stripped of A-League licence". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  6. ^ "Western United Club Statement". Western United. 8 August 2025.
  7. ^ Rugari, Vince (8 August 2025). "Aloisi 'devastated' as former champions Western United stripped of A-League licence". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  8. ^ "Western United Club Statement". Western United. 8 August 2025.
  9. ^ "Jimmy Jeggo announces retirement from professional football". Melbourne City. 3 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Mitch Langerak announces retirement from professional football". Melbourne Victory. 10 July 2025.
  11. ^ McDonald, Jessica (19 July 2025). "What an absolute honor and blessing it was to have played alongside each of you! It was an incredible journey that was nothing short of amazing! ♥️ cheers to retirement!" – via Instagram.
  12. ^ Comito, Matt (28 July 2025). "Isuzu UTE A-League great confirms retirement in emotional statement: 'I'm ready... it's time'". A-Leagues.