Football Australia (FA) has announced the Assessment and Review Phase for the proposed National Second Tier (NST) has commenced, with a handful of clubs confirming their bids.
The Request for Proposal (RFP) phase concluded with the target of a 2024 launch, though FA did not disclose which clubs had made submissions after 26 teams had been shortlisted for the RFP.
Thus far, six teams have announced their bids, including three from Victoria and two from New South Wales. Sydney Olympic FC and South Melbourne FC were among the clubs that confirmed via their social media pages.
Also confirming their bids were, Avondale FC, APIA Leichhardt, Preston Lions and Sydney United.
FA aims to feature a minimum of 10 teams that will compete in a home and away league structure with finals. However, they may also explore a phased ‘group based’ model, where the National Premier Leagues would influence the composition, adopting the ‘Champions League’ model.
“We’ve taken significant strides towards establishing a robust framework for the National Second Tier. The response and the submissions received are testament to the passion and commitment of the football community to this pivotal initiative,” James Johnson, CEO of Football Australia said.
The next phase will see each submitted proposal undergo a rigorous evaluation to ensure its completeness and alignment with the set criteria and requirements with help from accounting and advisory experts BDO as an independent third party to assist.
Should those proposals be suitable, the FA will progress to the Completion Phase, which marks the end of the selection process.
Source: Football Australia
