Australian soccer league system

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	A-League Men; A-League Women; A-League Youth; ;
Second division	National Second Division (from 2025)
Cup competition	Australia Cup; Women's Australia Cup; ;
Regional systems
Federations	Capital Football; Football NSW; Northern NSW Football; Football NT; Football Queensland; Football SA; Football Tasmania; Football Victoria; Football West; ;
Top divisions	NPL ACT; NPL NSW; NPL Northern NSW; Football NT (three leagues); NPL Queensland; NPL SA; NPL Tasmania; NPL Victoria; NPL WA; ;
Second divisions	Capital Premier League; NSW League One; Northern NSW State League 1; NT Northern Premier League; NT Southern Premier League; Queensland Premier League; SA State League 1; Tasmania Northern Championship; Tasmania Southern Championship; Victoria Premier League 1; WA State League 1; ;
	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 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 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.

^ 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.

[1] Andrew Robinson. "Complete final season tables". elitetograssroots.net. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.

[NPL-2] "National Premier Leagues". footballaustralia.com.au. Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.

[3] "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.

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