A-League Men

A-League Men, known before the 2021–22 season as the A-League, is a soccer league which is the top division in Australia and New Zealand. It was established in 2004 as a replacement to the National Soccer League and started in August 2005. Unlike professional soccer leagues in most of the rest of the world, A-League Men has what is called a "franchise" system—the same teams play in the league each year, unless a team drops out of the league on its own, or the league decides to add one or more new teams. This system is normal for pro sports leagues in Australia, as well as in the United States and Canada.

A-League Men
Country	Australia and New Zealand
Confederation	AFC
Founded	2005
Level	1
Number of teams	11
Current champions	Melbourne City FC (2020–21)
Most successful club	Sydney FC (5)
Website	keepup.com.au
2021–22

Since the beginning of the league in 2005, fourteen teams have competed in the league with Western United becoming the last club to join the league in the 2019–20 season. From those fourteen teams, six have taken the title while seven have taken the minor premiership. The current champion is Melbourne City FC, who defeated Sydney FC in the 2021 Grand Final.

The word "Men" was added to the league name after the 2020–21 season when the country's men's, women's, and youth leagues were brought under the "A-League" brand.

History

Before A-League Men was founded, the top division of Australian soccer was the National Soccer League which ran between 1977 and 2004.

Current clubs

As of the 2023-24 season

List

Main page: List of A-League Men clubs

• Adelaide United
• Brisbane Roar
• Central Coast Mariners
• Macarthur FC
• Melbourne City
• Melbourne Victory
• Newcastle Jets
• Perth Glory
• Sydney FC
• Wellington Phoenix
• Western Sydney Wanderers
• Western United

Map

A-League Men clubs
As of 2023/2024
Clubs in Australia
Adelaide United Brisbane Roar CC Mariners Newcastle Jets Perth Glory Location of clubs in Australia for the 2023 A-League Men season
Clubs in Sydney
[[file:Template:Location map Australia Sydney|400px|A-League Men is located in Template:Location map Australia Sydney]]<div style="position: absolute; z-index: 2; top: %; left: %; height: 0; width: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"><div style="position: relative; text-align: center; left: -px; top: -px; width: Template:Location map Australia Sydneypx; font-size: Template:Location map Australia Sydneypx; line-height: 0; z-index:100;" title=""> Macarthur <div style="position: absolute; z-index: 2; top: %; left: %; height: 0; width: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"><div style="position: relative; text-align: center; left: -px; top: -px; width: Template:Location map Australia Sydneypx; font-size: Template:Location map Australia Sydneypx; line-height: 0; z-index:100;" title=""> Sydney <div style="position: absolute; z-index: 2; top: %; left: %; height: 0; width: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"><div style="position: relative; text-align: center; left: -px; top: -px; width: Template:Location map Australia Sydneypx; font-size: Template:Location map Australia Sydneypx; line-height: 0; z-index:100;" title=""> Western Sydney Wanderers Location of clubs in Sydney for the 2023 A-League Men season
Clubs in Melbourne
[[file:Template:Location map Australia Melbourne|400px|A-League Men is located in Template:Location map Australia Melbourne]]<div style="position: absolute; z-index: 2; top: %; left: %; height: 0; width: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"><div style="position: relative; text-align: center; left: -px; top: -px; width: Template:Location map Australia Melbournepx; font-size: Template:Location map Australia Melbournepx; line-height: 0; z-index:100;" title=""> Melbourne City <div style="position: absolute; z-index: 2; top: %; left: %; height: 0; width: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"><div style="position: relative; text-align: center; left: -px; top: -px; width: Template:Location map Australia Melbournepx; font-size: Template:Location map Australia Melbournepx; line-height: 0; z-index:100;" title=""> Melbourne Victory <div style="position: absolute; z-index: 2; top: %; left: %; height: 0; width: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"><div style="position: relative; text-align: center; left: -px; top: -px; width: Template:Location map Australia Melbournepx; font-size: Template:Location map Australia Melbournepx; line-height: 0; z-index:100;" title=""> Western United Location of clubs in Melbourne for the 2023 A-League Men season
Clubs in New Zealand
[[file:Template:Location map New Zealand|400px|A-League Men is located in Template:Location map New Zealand]]<div style="position: absolute; z-index: 2; top: %; left: %; height: 0; width: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"><div style="position: relative; text-align: center; left: -px; top: -px; width: Template:Location map New Zealandpx; font-size: Template:Location map New Zealandpx; line-height: 0; z-index:100;" title=""> Wellington Phoenix Location of clubs in New Zealand for the 2023 A-League Men season

Former clubs

• Gold Coast United (2009–2012)
• New Zealand Knights (2005–2007)
• North Queensland Fury (2009–2011)

Champions and premiers

A-League Men, like other professional leagues in Australia, crowns its champion at the end of a knockout playoff series involving top teams on the regular-season table. The final match is called the Grand Final, a term used in several other Australian sports. The team that finishes on top of the regular-season table is called the "Premiers". Media sometimes incorrectly call the Premiers the "minor premiers", a term used in other football codes in the country.

Season	Champions		Premiers
2005–06		Sydney FC		Adelaide United
2006–07		Melbourne Victory		Melbourne Victory
2007–08		Newcastle Jets		Central Coast Mariners
2008–09		Melbourne Victory		Melbourne Victory
2009–10		Sydney FC		Sydney FC
2010–11		Brisbane Roar		Brisbane Roar
2011–12		Brisbane Roar		Central Coast Mariners
2012–13		Central Coast Mariners		Western Sydney Wanderers
2013–14		Brisbane Roar		Brisbane Roar
2014–15		Melbourne Victory		Melbourne Victory
2015–16		Adelaide United		Adelaide United
2016–17		Sydney FC		Sydney FC
2017–18		Melbourne Victory		Sydney FC
2018–19		Sydney FC		Perth Glory
2019–20		Sydney FC		Sydney FC
2020–21		Melbourne City		Melbourne City
2021–22		Western United		Melbourne City

Rivalries

Common name	Full name
The Big Blue	Melbourne Victory vs Sydney FC
The Distance Derby	Perth Glory vs Wellington Phoenix
F3 Derby	Central Mariners vs Newcastle Jets
Mariners–Wanderers Derby	Central Coast Mariners vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Melbourne City–Sydney FC Derby	Melbourne City vs Sydney FC
Melbourne Derby	Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory
The Original Rivalry	Adelaide United vs Melbourne Victory
Sydney Derby	Sydney FC vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Wellington Phoenix–Western United Derby	Wellington Phoenix vs Western United
Westgate Derby	Melbourne Victory vs Western United

A-League MenRivalries Media

• 

  Melbourne Victory celebrating after their 2007 A-League Grand Final victory.

• 

  Adelaide United against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the AFC Champions League in 2010.

• 

  The A-League Trophy was designed to resemble a laurel wreath. (Image features A-League logo from 2004 to 2017)

• 

  The Premier's Plate is awarded to the highest finishing team in the regular season. (Image features A-League logo from 2017 to 2021)

• 

  Alessandro Del Piero joined the league in 2012, as Sydney FC's marquee player.

• 

  Jamie Maclaren is the leading A-League goalscorer, scoring 151 goals with three clubs.

• 

  Newcastle Jets against Sydney FC at Newcastle Stadium in 2007.