National second tier to start in Australia in 2025 in a Champions League style format with no promotion and relegation

Football Australia’s long-planned national second tier will finally launch in 2025 – but as a Champions League-style post-season tournament that will go head-to-head with the opening rounds of the A-League Men.

The national federation announced on Thursday that the 16-team competition would kick off in October 2025 and involve the eight previously approved “foundation” clubs for the second division and eight premiers from Australia’s NPL state leagues. As previously revealed by this masthead, hopes of a full home-and-away league of up to 14 teams were derailed due to financial concerns, paving the way for this compromise model.

FA’s national second division will begin in 2025 – but as a tournament, not as a league.Credit: Brett Costello for FFA

We don’t know much more than that – including what it will be called, who will broadcast it, or exactly when the first game will be played. But here’s what we do know.

The format

FA has confirmed 16 teams will take part over nine rounds between October and December. The teams will initially be split into four groups of four and play six matches each, home and away, before an elimination finals series. The top two in each group would qualify for the knockout phase, consisting of quarter-finals, semi-finals and then the final.

The eight foundation clubs are: APIA Leichhardt, Avondale, Marconi, Preston Lions, South Melbourne, Sydney Olympic, Sydney United 58 and Wollongong Wolves. All bar the Wolves are based in Sydney or Melbourne and all eight clubs passed a rigorous tender process, which included provision of a large bank guarantee.

James Johnson at last year’s second tier launch.Credit: Getty Images

They will be joined initially by the premiers from the eight NPL competitions: NSW, Northern NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, and Capital Football. The premiers are the teams that are top of the table after the home-and-away season, not the grand final winners.

However, the composition of the second tier may change, with FA committing to a further selection process while naming six clubs that met their technical requirements but not their financial ones: Adelaide City, Caroline Springs-George Cross, Gold Coast United, Gungahlin United, South Hobart and Sunshine Coast. It’s possible that one or more of these teams may tick the necessary boxes to be involved before the launch date.

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