The 2020–21 A-League was the 44th season of national level soccer in Australia, and the 16th since the establishment of the A-League in 2004. The season was started on 28 December 2020 and concluded with the Grand Final on 27 June 2021.[3] The start of the season was later than previous seasons as a result of both the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and New Zealand, and as part of a gradual shift to move the competition from summer to winter.[4] Wellington Phoenix played the majority of their home matches at Wollongong Showground in Wollongong due to international travel restrictions.[5]

Quick Facts Season, Dates ...
A-League
Thumb
Season2020–21
Dates28 December 2020 – 27 June 2021
ChampionsMelbourne City (1st title)
PremiersMelbourne City (1st title)
Champions LeagueMelbourne City
Sydney FC
Matches played161
Goals scored471 (2.93 per match)
Top goalscorerJamie Maclaren
(25 goals)
Biggest home winMelbourne City 7–0 Melbourne Victory
(17 April 2021)
Biggest away winMelbourne Victory 0–6 Melbourne City
(6 March 2021)
Highest scoringWestern United 5–4 Perth Glory
(23 January 2021)
Melbourne Victory 5–4 WSW
(23 April 2021)
Longest winning run6 matches
Adelaide United
Melbourne City
Longest unbeaten run11 matches
Wellington Phoenix
Longest winless run14 matches
Newcastle Jets
Longest losing run8 matches
Western United
Highest attendance24,105[1]
WEL 3–0 WUN
(22 May 2021)
Lowest attendance550
WUN 1–2 MAC
(31 May 2021) [2]
Total attendance879,039[1]
Average attendance5,745[1] ( 3,683)
(Note: Longest run statistics do not include finals)
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Melbourne Rectangular Stadium interior

Sydney FC were the defending champions and premiers, having won their record fifth and fourth titles respectively the previous season. Melbourne City won their first premiership and championship title, leaving Sydney FC in second on both.

Clubs

There were 12 clubs participating in this season. Macarthur FC made their A-League debut this season.[6]

Personnel and kits

  • ^
    Away kit.
  • Managerial changes

    More information Team, Outgoing manager ...
    Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position on table Incoming manager Date of appointment
    Macarthur FC Inaugural manager Pre-season Australia Ante Milicic[43] 15 May 2019
    Melbourne Victory Scotland Grant Brebner (caretaker) Promoted to full time 24 August 2020 Scotland Grant Brebner[44] 24 August 2020
    Perth Glory Australia Tony Popovic Signed by Xanthi[45] 27 August 2020 Australia Hayden Foxe (caretaker)[46] 2 September 2020
    Melbourne City France Erick Mombaerts Resigned 3 September 2020 Australia Patrick Kisnorbo[47] 3 September 2020
    Adelaide United Australia Carl Veart (caretaker) Promoted to full time 18 September 2020 Australia Carl Veart[48] 18 September 2020
    Perth Glory Australia Hayden Foxe (caretaker) End of contract 18 September 2020 Australia Richard Garcia[49] 18 September 2020
    Western Sydney Wanderers Australia Jean-Paul de Marigny Sacked[50] 12 October 2020 Wales Carl Robinson[51] 15 October 2020
    Newcastle Jets Wales Carl Robinson Signed by Western Sydney Wanderers[52] 15 October 2020 Australia Craig Deans[lower-alpha 2][54] 16 October 2020
    Melbourne Victory Scotland Grant Brebner Sacked[55] 17 April 2021 12th Scotland Steve Kean (caretaker)[56] 19 April 2021
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    1. The stadium will be undergoing construction during the season, which will reduce the stadium's capacity to around 26,000.[7][8] The stadium will have a capacity of 40,000 once construction is complete.[9]
    2. Deans was initially appointed as interim coach, but the move was made permanent on 10 February 2021.[53]

    Foreign players

    The following do not fill a Visa position:
    1Those players who were born and started their professional career abroad but have since gained Australian citizenship (or New Zealand citizenship, in the case of Wellington Phoenix);[57]
    2Australian citizens (or New Zealand citizens, in the case of Wellington Phoenix) who have chosen to represent another national team;
    3Injury replacement players, or National team replacement players;
    4Guest players (eligible to play a maximum of fourteen games)

    Salary cap exemptions and captains

    Transfers

    Regular season

    The regular season commenced on 28 December 2020 and ended on 10 June 2021.

    League table

    More information Pos, Pld ...
    Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
    1 Melbourne City (C) 26 15 4 7 57 32 +25 49 Qualification for 2022 AFC Champions League group stage and finals series[lower-alpha 1]
    2 Sydney FC 26 13 8 5 39 23 +16 47 Qualification for 2022 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs and finals series[lower-alpha 1]
    3 Central Coast Mariners 26 12 6 8 35 31 +4 42 Qualification for finals series[lower-alpha 1]
    4 Brisbane Roar 26 11 7 8 36 28 +8 40
    5 Adelaide United 26 11 6 9 39 41 2 39
    6 Macarthur FC 26 11 6 9 33 36 3 39
    7 Wellington Phoenix[lower-alpha 2] 26 10 8 8 44 34 +10 38
    8 Western Sydney Wanderers 26 9 8 9 45 43 +2 35
    9 Perth Glory 26 9 7 10 44 44 0 34 Qualification for 2021 FFA Cup play-offs[lower-alpha 3]
    10 Western United 26 8 4 14 30 47 17 28
    11 Newcastle Jets 26 5 6 15 24 38 14 21
    12 Melbourne Victory 26 5 4 17 31 60 29 19 Qualification for 2022 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs and 2021 FFA Cup play-offs[lower-alpha 4]
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    Source: A-Leagues
    Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Least red cards; 5) Least yellow cards; 6) Toss of a coin in an event of a tie of two clubs.
    (C) Champions
    Notes:
    1. The top two teams entered the finals series at the semi-finals, while the teams ranked third to sixth entered the finals series at the elimination-finals.
    2. Wellington Phoenix cannot qualify for Asian Football Confederation competitions as they are based in New Zealand, which is under the Oceania Football Confederation.
    3. The top 8 teams qualified for the round of 32, while the bottom four teams participated in a playoff round.[84]
    4. Qualified as the 2021 FFA Cup winners.

    Fixtures and results

    More information Home \ Away, ADE ...
    Home \ Away ADE BRI CCM MAC MCY MVC NEW PER SYD WEL WSW WUN ADE BRI CCM MAC MCY MVC NEW PER SYD WEL WSW WUN
    Adelaide United 1–0 3–2 3–1 2–0 1–0 2–1 1–2 1–0 0–0 1–1 0–0 1–4 2–2
    Brisbane Roar 3–1 0–0 0–2 0–1 5–2 0–0 2–1 1–1 0–0 1–1 2–1 3–0 0–2
    Central Coast Mariners 2–1 0–4 2–0 3–2 1–1 1–0 2–2 2–2 1–2 0–1 3–2 0–2 2–0
    Macarthur FC 4–0 1–2 0–2 1–1 3–1 2–2 2–0 0–3 1–1 2–2 2–1 1–2 0–3
    Melbourne City 4–1 3–2 2–0 3–0 7–0 3–1 1–3 3–2 2–2 4–1 2–1 1–0 1–2
    Melbourne Victory 1–3 1–3 1–1 1–2 0–6 0–1 2–1 0–3 2–0 5–4 3–4 0–1 1–1
    Newcastle Jets 1–4 1–2 0–1 1–2 1–0 1–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–2 0–1 1–2 1–1
    Perth Glory 5–3 3–1 1–2 0–0 1–3 2–1 2–1 1–1 1–3 5–1 3–0 2–1 1–1
    Sydney FC 2–2 0–0 0–2 0–1 1–1 1–0 2–1 1–0 2–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–0
    Wellington Phoenix 2–1 1–1 0–2 0–1 2–3 4–1 1–2 3–0 1–2 2–2 3–2 2–2 3–0
    Western Sydney Wanderers 2–3 1–2 2–2 0–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 3–0 3–2 4–3 5–0 2–0 1–2
    Western United 0–0 1–0 1–0 4–1 2–1 0–0 2–0 5–4 0–1 1–1 0–1 1–2 1–6
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    Source: A-League
    Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
    For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

    Finals series

     
    Elimination-finalsSemi-finalsGrand Final
     
              
     
     
     
     
    20 June – Sydney
     
     
    Melbourne City2
     
    12 June – Gosford
     
    Macarthur FC0
     
    Central Coast Mariners0
     
    27 June – Melbourne
     
    Macarthur FC2
     
    Melbourne City3
     
     
    Sydney FC1
     
     
    19 June – Sydney
     
     
    Sydney FC2
     
    13 June – Brisbane
     
    Adelaide United1
     
    Brisbane Roar1
     
     
    Adelaide United2
     

    Elimination-finals

    12 June 2021 Central Coast Mariners 0–2 (a.e.t.) Macarthur FC Gosford
    19:05 AEST Report
    Stadium: Central Coast Stadium
    Attendance: 11,565
    Referee: Shaun Evans
    13 June 2021 Brisbane Roar 1–2 Adelaide United Brisbane
    15:05 AEST Parsons 56' Report Juric 15', 19' Stadium: Moreton Daily Stadium
    Attendance: 7,782
    Referee: Alex King

    Semi-finals

    19 June 2021 Sydney FC 2–1 Adelaide United Sydney
    19:05 AEST
    Report Juande 64' Stadium: Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
    Attendance: 7,500
    Referee: Alireza Faghani
    20 June 2021 Melbourne City 2–0 Macarthur FC Sydney
    16:05 AEST
    Report Stadium: Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
    Attendance: 2,283
    Referee: Daniel Elder

    Grand Final

    More information Melbourne City, 3–1 ...
    Close
    Attendance: 14,017
    Referee: Chris Beath

    Statistics

    Top scorers

    Including Finals matches[85]

    Hat-tricks

    More information Player, For ...
    PlayerForAgainstResultDateRef.
    England Matt DerbyshireMacarthur FCAdelaide United4–0 (H)12 February 2021[86]
    Australia Tomi Juric Adelaide UnitedCentral Coast Mariners3–2 (H)19 February 2021[87]
    Australia Jamie Maclaren5 Melbourne CityMelbourne Victory7–0 (H)17 April 2021[88]
    Republic of Ireland Andy Keogh4 Perth GloryWestern Sydney Wanderers5–1 (H)16 May 2021[89]
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    More information Key, (H) ...
    Key
    4 Player scored four goals
    5 Player scored five goals
    (H) Home team
    Close

    Awards

    Annual awards

    The following end of the season awards were announced at the 2020–21 Dolan Warren Awards night on 23 June 2021.[90]

    Team of the season

    More information Team of the season, Goalkeeper ...
    Team of the season
    Goalkeeper Australia Adam Federici (Macarthur FC)
    Defenders Australia Rhyan Grant (Sydney FC) Australia Ruon Tongyik (Central Coast Mariners) Australia Curtis Good (Melbourne City) Australia Scott Jamieson (Melbourne City)
    Midfielders Australia Oliver Bozanic (Central Coast Mariners) Mexico Ulises Dávila (Wellington Phoenix) Australia Connor Metcalfe (Melbourne City)
    Forwards England Matt Derbyshire (Macarthur FC) Australia Jamie Maclaren (Melbourne City) England Craig Noone (Melbourne City)
    Substitutes Australia Mark Birighitti (Central Coast Mariners) Australia Ryan Strain (Adelaide United) Australia Luke Brattan (Sydney FC) Australia Matt Simon (Central Coast Mariners) Australia Ryan McGowan (Sydney FC) Serbia Miloš Ninković (Sydney FC) Republic of Ireland Jay O'Shea (Brisbane Roar)
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    See also

    References

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