Australian soccer league system

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.

Australian soccer league system

A map showing the nine member federations of Football Australia, which each control their respective state-based competitions.
Country	Australia
Sport	Soccer
Promotion and relegation	No 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
Federation	Football Australia
Confederation	AFC
Top division	A-League Men A-League Women A-League Youth
Second division	National Second Division (from 2025)
Cup competition	Australia Cup
Regional systems
Federations	Capital Football Football NSW Northern NSW Football Football NT Football Queensland Football SA Football Tasmania Football Victoria Football West
Top divisions	NPL ACT NPL NSW NPL Northern NSW Football NT (three leagues) NPL Queensland NPL SA NPL Tasmania NPL Victoria NPL WA
Second divisions	Capital Premier League NSW League One Northern NSW State League 1 NT Northern Premier League NT Southern Premier League Queensland Premier League SA State League 1 Tasmania Northern Championship Tasmania Southern Championship Victoria Premier League 1 WA State League 1
Soccer in Australia

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 13 clubs (2 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 ↓ 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 1.75	NorZone Premier League 8 clubs no promotion no relegation	Southern Zone Premier League 4 clubs no promotion no relegation
3	Capital Premier League 8 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation		NSW League One 16 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1.5	NNSW State League 1 9 clubs ↑ promote 1 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 10 clubs ↑ promote 0.75 no relegation	Victorian Premier League 1 14 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2				WA State League 1 12 clubs ↑ promote 1.75 ↓ relegate 1.5	NorZone Division 1 8 clubs no promotion
4	Capital 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 1 9 clubs no promotion	Tasmania Southern Social League 1 6 clubs no promotion no relegation	Victorian Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2				WA State League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1
5	Capital 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 Social League 2 6 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 ↑ promote 1
6	Capital League 3 10 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation							Tasmania Southern Social League 3 6 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	Capital League 4 10 clubs no promotion no relegation							Tasmania Southern Social League 4 8 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	Capital League 5 10 clubs no promotion no relegation								Vic SL 4 North 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2	Vic SL 4 West 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	Capital League 6 10 clubs no promotion no relegation								Vic SL 5 North 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation	Vic SL 5 West 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	Capital League 7 10 clubs no promotion no relegation								Regional 15 districts no promotion
11	Capital League 8 10 clubs no promotion no relegation
12	Capital League 9 10 clubs no promotion no relegation
13	Capital League 10 Blue 10 clubs no promotion	Capital League 10 Gold 10 clubs no promotion

From 2025 onwards

Further information: National Second Division

Level	Leagues
1	A-League Men 14 clubs (2 from New Zealand) (from 2025–26) 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 1.5	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 1.75	NorZone Premier League 8 clubs no promotion no relegation	Southern Zone Premier League 4 clubs no promotion no relegation
4	Capital Premier League 8 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation		NSW League One 16 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1.5	NNSW State League 1 10 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1	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 10 clubs ↑ promote 0.75 no relegation	Victorian Premier League 1 14 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2				WA State League 1 12 clubs ↑ promote 1.75 ↓ relegate 1.5	NorZone Division 1 8 clubs no promotion
5	Capital League 1 10 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1		NSW League Two 16 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 no relegation	Regional 7 districts ↑ promote 1	Queensland Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 1	SA State League 2 North 8 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation	SA State League 2 South 8 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation	Tasmania Northern Social League 1 9 clubs no promotion	Tasmania Southern Social League 1 6 clubs no promotion no relegation	Victorian Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2				WA State League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1
6	Capital 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 Social League 2 6 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 ↑ promote 1
7	Capital League 3 10 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation								Tasmania Southern Social League 3 6 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	Capital League 4 10 clubs no promotion no relegation								Tasmania Southern Social League 4 8 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	Capital League 5 10 clubs no promotion no relegation									Vic SL 4 North 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2	Vic SL 4 West 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	Capital League 6 10 clubs no promotion no relegation									Vic SL 5 North 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation	Vic SL 5 West 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	Capital League 7 10 clubs no promotion no relegation									Regional 15 districts no promotion
12	Capital League 8 10 clubs no promotion no relegation
13	Capital League 9 10 clubs no promotion no relegation
14	Capital League 10 Blue 10 clubs no promotion	Capital League 10 Gold 10 clubs no promotion

See also

• Australia portal
• soccer portal

• Capital Football pyramid, for a list of their league systems
• Football Queensland pyramid, for a list of their league systems
• Football South Australia pyramid, for a list of their league systems
• Football Victoria pyramid, for a list of their league systems
• League system, for a list of similar systems in other countries
• List of association football competitions

References

1. Andrew Robinson. "Complete final season tables". elitetograssroots.net. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
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.

External links

• Australian Capital Territory competitions
• New South Wales competitions
• Northern New South Wales competitions
• Northern Territory competitions
• Queensland competitions
• South Australia competitions
• Tasmania competitions
• Victoria competitions
• Western Australia competitions