Soccer ⚽

1. Sydney FC
2. Melbourne City
3. Wellington Phoenix
4. Brisbane Roar FC
5. Western United FC
6. Perth Glory
7. Adelaide United
8. Newcastle Jets
9. Western Sydney Wanderers FC
10. Melbourne Victory
11. Central Coast Mariners

The Hyundai A-League consists of a Regular Season and a Finals Series (featuring the top six (6) Clubs from the Regular Season), the winner of which will be crowned Hyundai A-League Champions.

Competition Format – Regular Season

The Hyundai A-League Regular Season is played over twenty-seven (27) Rounds with each Club playing each other three (3) times.

The following points will be awarded for Matches during the Regular Season:

• Win = 3 points
• Draw = 1 point
• Loss = 0 points

Procedures to Determine Placings after Regular Season

At the completion of the Regular Season Clubs are ranked from one (1) through to ten (10), with the first six (6) Clubs progressing to the Finals Series. The position of each Club will be determined based on the following criteria:

1. Highest number of points accumulated during the Regular Season;
2. If two (2) or more Clubs are level on points accumulated, the following criteria is applied, in order, until one (1) of the Clubs can be determined as the higher ranked Club in respect of:
   1. Highest positive goal difference;
   2. Highest number of goals scored;
   3. Highest number of points accumulated in Matches between the Clubs concerned;
   4. Highest goal difference in Matches between the Clubs concerned;
   5. Lowest number of Red Cards accumulated;
   6. Lowest number of Yellow Cards accumulated; and
   7. toss of a coin in the event of a tie of two (2) Clubs or drawing of lots in the event of a tie of three (3) or more Clubs.

Competition Format – Finals Series

The top six (6) Clubs at the conclusion of the Regular Season will progress to the Finals Series.

Elimination Finals

• Clubs ranked 3 & 6 (Match A) and 4 & 5 (Match B) will play-off with the winners from each of these Matches to advance to the Semi Finals of the Hyundai A-League Finals Series.
• Clubs ranked 3 & 4 will be considered the ‘home’ Club for Matches A & B.

Semi Finals

• Club ranked 1 will play the lowest ranked winner of Matches A & B (Match C).
• Club ranked 2 will play the highest ranked winner of Matches A & B (Match D).
• Clubs ranked 1 & 2 will be considered the ‘home’ Club for Matches C & D.
• The highest placed Club to advance to the Hyundai A-League Grand Final (Match E) will be considered the ‘home’ Club.

Grand Final

• The Hyundai A-League Grand Final will be contested between the winners of Matches C & D (Match E).
• The Club who wins the Hyundai A-League Grand Final will be crowned the Hyundai A-League Champions and will be awarded the Championship Trophy.

Venue selection

The selection of Venues, dates and kick-off times for all Finals Series Matches, including the Grand Final, will be at the sole and absolute discretion of FFA and a decision to allocate a Venue, dates and kick-off time may be made based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, venue availability, broadcaster preferences, player welfare, security, commercial, marketing and financial considerations.

Procedures to Determine the Winner of Finals Matches

If, at the conclusion of the regular period in any Match in the Finals Series, the scores between the two (2) Clubs are tied, then extra time of two (2) equal periods of fifteen (15) minutes will be played. The conditions of the Laws of the Game will apply.

If scores remain equal at the conclusion of both periods of extra time, penalty kicks will be taken, in accordance with the FIFA Laws of the Game, to determine the winner of the Match.

Substitution Rules

• For all Matches, Clubs must select five (5) Players as substitutes on the ‘Starting List’, including one (1) nominated Goalkeeper.
• For all Matches played during the Hyundai A-League Regular Season and the Hyundai A-League Finals Series, up to a maximum of three (3) Players (including a Goalkeeper) may be replaced at any time during a Match, up until the conclusion of normal playing time or extra time, if played. The Replacement Player must be one of the substitutes selected on the ‘Starting List’ as directed above.

The history of soccer began more than 2000 years ago and is traced back to Ancient China. The first known examples of a team game involving a ball was made out of a rock. According to some sources, the ball would symbolise the sun and the captain of the losing team would be sacrificed to the gods. The first known ball game which involved kicking, took place in China in the 3rd and 2nd century BC. Greece, Rome, and parts of Central America also claim to have started the sport, but it was England that transitioned soccer into the game we know it as today.

The English recorded the first uniform ruled for the sport, including forbidding players tripping opponents and touching the ball with your hands. As the sport progressed, more rules were implemented and more historical landmarks were set, such as the penalty kick being introduced in 1891. FIFA became a member of the International Football Association Board of Great Britain in 1913 and red and yellow cards were introduced during the 1970 World Cup finals. 

Soccer is the most played outdoor team sport in Australia and ranks in the top ten for television audience. Modern soccer was introduced in Australia in the late 19th century by British immigrants. The first club that was formed in the country was known as the Wanderers and was founded on 3rd August 1880 in Sydney. A semi-professional national league, the National Soccer League, was introduced in 1977, which was then replaced by a full professional league, the A-League in 2004. The A-League contributed to a major rise in the popularity of the sport. The first recorded match in Sydney un the Laws of the Game was between the Wanderers and members of the Kings School rugby team at Parramatta. In 1883 the Balgownie Ranges was founded which is the oldest existing club in Australia. Later that year, the first intercolonial game was played at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground. 

As soccer continued to grow throughout Australia, John Fletcher’s New South Wales soccer association gave inspiration to other states to establish their own governing bodies for the sport. In 1884, Victoria formed its own association, as did Queensland. Western Australia, Tasmania and South Australia then followed shortly after. It is through these developments that soccer gained much popularity and is known as the sport it is today.