South Melbourne FC have made history, lifting the inaugural Australian Championship title on Saturday, 6 December 2025 after a commanding 2–0 victory over Marconi Stallions at Olympic Village in Melbourne.
In front of approximately 5,000 spectators, the club added another golden page to its 67-year history – a particularly symbolic achievement given that South Melbourne kicked off the very first match of this new national competition and have now finished it by taking home its first-ever trophy.
South Melbourne sealed the win early, scoring twice in the opening twenty minutes.
In the 10th minute, Manny Aguek produced a brilliant solo run to open the scoring.
Just nine minutes later, in the 19th minute, captain Marco Jankovic rose highest to head home South Melbourne’s second, effectively sealing the match before halftime.
Despite Marconi’s efforts to respond, South Melbourne maintained control and protected their early lead through to full time.
With the final whistle, South Melbourne became the first-ever champions of the Australian Championship – a national second-tier competition created to elevate and showcase Australia’s strongest clubs outside the A-League.
The victory adds another historic chapter to South Melbourne’s already storied legacy, reinforcing their long-standing status as one of the nation’s most successful and influential football institutions.
