Football Australia has announced the Official Fixtures for the inaugural Australian Championship.
There will be six rounds of group stage matches played between 10 October and 16 November 2025, followed by an elimination Finals Series commencing 22 November and culminating with the Championship Final on Saturday, 6 December 2025.
CLICK HERE to view the fixtures for the Australian Championship 2025.
Each round will feature eight matches played across three days – headlined by a feature match on Friday night and two ‘Super Saturday’ double-header matches kicking off at 1.00pm and 3.00pm AEDT. The remaining fixtures will be played on Sunday afternoons, including two twilight matches played at 4.30pm AEDT.
The Australian Championship will launch with a blockbuster opening match between South Melbourne FC and Sydney Olympic FC at Lakeside Stadium on Friday, 10 October. The following day, fresh from three consecutive South Australian NPL Premierships, Metro Stars FC will host Wests APIA FC in the first ‘Super Saturday’ double-header match in Adelaide. This will be followed by Preston Lions FC hosting North-West Sydney Spirit FC, at Genis Steel Stadium in another high-stakes encounter.
The second round sees Wests APIA FC meet Sydney United 58 FC in a Friday night blockbuster at Leichhardt Oval on 17 October. The following day, Marconi Stallions FC return home to face Tasmania’s NPL Premier in the 1.00pm AEDT fixture before the Illawarra region gets its first taste of the Australian Championship when Wollongong Wolves FC host either Heidelberg United FC or Dandenong Thunder FC at Collegians Sports Centre on Saturday, 18 October at 3.00pm AEDT.
With iconic rivalries reignited, new chapters written in traditional football heartlands, and matches staged across multiple states, the opening rounds set the tone for an exciting national competition. The full fixture list delivers a balance of marquee encounters, community-based showdowns, and opportunities for emerging champions to test themselves against storied Foundation Clubs.
The Australian Championship will celebrate 16 of the nation’s highest-performing teams in a competitive and commercially appealing format, featuring eight Foundation Clubs and eight NPL champions from the National Premier Leagues (NPL). This innovative and sustainable format bridges the gap between the Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s competition and domestic state-based competitions, helping connect the Australian football pyramid and unlock new opportunities for aspirational clubs and players.
Four seeded Foundation Clubs including South Melbourne FC (Group A), Marconi Stallions FC (Group B), Avondale FC (Group C) and APIA Leichhardt FC (Group D), will be joined by the remaining Foundation Clubs and eight NPL Premiers to create four balanced groups.
Four of the eight NPL Premiers have been confirmed; following consecutive NNSW NPL titles Newcastle-based Broadmeadow Magic FC have qualified in Group A, former NSL club North-West Sydney Spirit FC join Group C, Bayswater City FC have won through to Group D as the WA NPL Premiers, while Metro Stars FC have also secured their place in Group D after another dominant NPL season in South Australia.
The remaining qualification places will be confirmed over the next fortnight as respective NPL competitions conclude. Three NPL competitions will be decided on the final day of their Home & Away seasons this coming weekend; including in Queensland, ACT and Victoria. South Hobart FC and Launceston City FC are locked in a battle for the Tasmanian NPL Premiership which ends in early September and will determine the sixteenth and final club to participate in the inaugural Australian Championship.
The Coach and Captain of all 16 participating clubs will be revealed at the Australian Championship Season Launch event on Tuesday, 23 September in Sydney.
Football Australia Interim Chief Executive Officer, Heather Garriock, said: “This is an historic moment for our game, with the Australian Championship delivering a truly national competition that connects our proud Foundation Clubs with the best of the National Premier Leagues champions. The fixtures announced today reflect the passion and diversity of our football community, with matches taking place in some of the country’s most iconic football venues and heartland grounds.”
“From traditional rivalries like South Melbourne against Sydney Olympic, to emerging champions testing themselves against established giants, the Championship will provide fans with high-quality football and a new platform for players and clubs to shine,” she added.
“Our vision is to create a competition that is dynamic, sustainable and inclusive, one that respects the traditions of our game while opening up new pathways for the future.”
Group Stage Draw
- Group A: South Melbourne FC, Sydney Olympic FC, Broadmeadow Magic FC, NPL Premier (Football QLD).
- Group B: Marconi Stallions FC, Wollongong Wolves FC, NPL Premier (Football VIC), NPL Premier (Football TAS).
- Group C: Avondale FC, Preston Lions FC, NWS Spirit FC, NPL Premier (Capital Football).
- Group D: Wests APIA FC, Sydney United 58 FC, Metro Stars FC, Bayswater City FC.
Finals Series
The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, with the highest placed Foundation Club hosting the crossover QF match:
- Quarter Finals: A1 v C2, B1 v D2, C1 v A2, D1 v B2. These matches will be played at 1:00pm and 3:00pm AEDT on Saturday 22 November and Sunday 23 November respectively.
- Semi Finals & Grand Final: All matches to be staged at a neutral venue; both Semi Final matches will be played on Saturday 29 November at 1.00pm and 3.00pm AEDT respectively and the Championship Final will be played on Saturday 6 December 2025 at 3.00pm AEDT.
Further announcements, including broadcast and commercial partnerships, and the official Season Launch, will be made in the lead-up to the competition’s historic debut on Friday, 10 October 2025.
