Australian soccer league system
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 |
The Australian soccer league system is the
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.
Current system (until 2024)
Level | Leagues | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | A-League Men 12 clubs (1 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 no relegation |
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 1.5 |
None | |||||||||
3 | Capital Premier League 8 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation |
NSW League 1 16 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1.5 |
NNSW State League 1 9 clubs no promotion 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 12 clubs ↑ promote 0.75 no relegation |
Victoria Premier League 1 14 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
WA State League 1 12 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1.5 |
NorZone Premier League 8 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Southern Zone Premier League 4 clubs no promotion no relegation | ||||||
4 | ACT State 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 8 clubs no promotion |
Tasmania Southern Championship 2 7 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Victoria Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
WA State League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1 |
NorZone Division 1 8 clubs no promotion |
|||||||
5 | ACT State 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 Championship 3 8 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 no promotion |
|||||||||
6 | ACT Community League 3 10 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation |
Tasmania Southern Championship 4 8 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 | ACT Community League 4 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Tasmania Southern Championship 5 10 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 | ACT Community League 5 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Vic SL 4 West 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 |
Vic SL 4 North 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 | ACT Community League 6 10 clubs no promotion |
Vic SL 5 West 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
Vic SL 5 North 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 | Metropolitan Leagues 9 divisions no promotion Regional 13 districts no promotion |
From 2025 onwards
Level | Leagues | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | A-League Men 14 clubs (2 from New Zealand) (from 2024–25) 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 |
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 1.5 |
None | |||||||||
4 | Capital Premier League 8 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation |
NSW League 1 16 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1.5 |
NNSW State League 1 10 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation |
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 12 clubs ↑ promote 0.75 no relegation |
Victoria Premier League 1 14 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
WA State League 1 12 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1.5 |
NorZone Premier League 8 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Southern Zone Premier League 4 clubs no promotion no relegation | ||||||
5 | ACT State League 1 10 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1 |
NSW League 2 16 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 no relegation |
Regional 7 districts no promotion |
Queensland Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 1 |
SA State League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
Tasmania Northern Social League 8 clubs no promotion |
Tasmania Southern Championship 2 8 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Victoria Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 |
WA State League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1 |
NorZone Division 1 8 clubs no promotion |
|||||||
6 | ACT State 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 Championship 3 8 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 no promotion |
|||||||||
7 | ACT Community League 3 10 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation |
Tasmania Southern Championship 4 8 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 | ACT Community League 4 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Tasmania Southern Championship 5 10 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 | ACT Community League 5 10 clubs no promotion no relegation |
Vic SL 4 West 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 |
Vic SL 4 North 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 | ACT Community League 6 10 clubs no promotion |
Vic SL 5 West 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation |
Vic SL 5 North 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 | Metropolitan Leagues 9 divisions no promotion Regional 13 districts no promotion |
See also
- 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
- ^ 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.