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Australian soccer league system

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Australian soccer league system
A map showing the nine member federations of Football Australia, which each control their respective state-based competitions.
CountryAustralia
SportSoccer
Promotion and relegationNo 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
FederationFootball Australia
ConfederationAFC
Top division
Second 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.[1] 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.[2][3]

The National Soccer League (NLS) stood from 1977 to 2004 as the top nationwide tier above the current state-based league systems.[4][5] In 2005, the A-League (now A-League Men) was established as its successor.[6][7]

The introduction of the National Premier Leagues (NPL) in 2013 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 the Northern Territory – joined in 2014.[9]

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.[10][11]

Table

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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.[12][13]

The table excludes the Australian Championship, which although is in a league format, is a spring competition contested by teams from the level 2 National Premier Leagues.

Level Leagues
1 A-League Men
13 clubs (2 from New Zealand)
no relegation
2 National Premier Leagues
94 clubs (from 8 divisions)[a] 		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 1.5 		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
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

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Notes

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  1. ^ From 2025, a subset of 16 level 2 clubs play in an associated spring competition called the Australian Championship.[14]

References

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  1. ^ Lynch, Joey (29 November 2023). "Australia's football pyramid is one step closer to reality. Now what?". ESPN Australia. Archived from the original on 18 December 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  2. ^ Robinson, Andrew. "Complete final season tables". elitetograssroots.net. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  3. ^ Howe, Andrew (2017). "Australia's national league: 40 years strong". A-Leagues. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "New soccer league slated for 2004". Sydney Morning Herald. 9 December 2003. Archived from the original on 16 June 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  6. ^ "All square in A-League preseason matches". ABC News. 23 July 2005. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ a b "National Premier Leagues". Football Australia. Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ Rugari, Vince (31 October 2024). "Football Australia will launch a national second division in 2025. Here's what you need to know". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 12 February 2025. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
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