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 divisionNational Second Division (from 2025)
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. 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.[1] The National Soccer League stood from 1977 to 2004 as the top nationwide tier above the current state-based league systems, in 2005, the A-League (now A-League Men) was established as its successor. The introduction of the National Premier Leagues in 2013 introduced a direct second tier of soccer in Australia, underpinning the A-League.[2] The National Premier Leagues incorporated the existing state leagues as divisions with a nationwide end of season finals series. In 2013, the National Premier Leagues rebranded 5 of the 9 top state leagues, and the remainder – with the exception of the Northern Territory – joined in 2014.[2] 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.

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 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 Regional
13 districts
no promotion

See also

References

  1. ↑ Andrew Robinson. "Complete final season tables". elitetograssroots.net. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 "National Premier Leagues". footballaustralia.com.au. Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  3. ↑ "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.
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