Australia’s first-ever national second tier - from any football code - finally has an identity ahead of its October 2025 launch.
Introducing the Australian Championship, the official name of the long-anticipated competition, which was launched today alongside its new brand, website and social media pages.
About
Scheduled to kick off in October 2025, the Australian Championship will feature 16 teams blending eight Foundation Clubs with eight Member Federation NPL Clubs selected from the National Premier Leagues (NPL).
This innovative format bridges state-based competitions with the Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s pathway, redefining Australian football’s domestic football ecosystem and creating new opportunities for players, clubs, and communities to shine.
The Clubs
The eight clubs confirmed as the Foundation Clubs represent the backbone of Australian football, with rich histories, fierce rivalries, and deep ties to their communities.
From Victoria, 2023 dual champions and premiers Avondale FC feature as one of the fairytale clubs of the new competition. Founded as Keilor I.C.K.A. over 40 years ago, the club from the Australian-Italian community have enjoyed a meteoric rise. Starting in 2009, the club climbed out of Victoria’s seventh division and secured five promotions in six seasons to reach the state’s top flight, before eventually becoming champions. The proud club is representative of the aspirational and ambitious tenants of the Australian Championship.
Fellow Victorians, Preston Lions FC, also share the ethos of the new competition having recently been promoted back to their NPL top flight after a 16-year absence. Arguably a sleeping giant of Australian football, the proud Australian-Macedonian club have a strong supporter base and pack out their 6,500-capacity boutique stadium despite relegation to the lower State Leagues in the last decade. “Makedonia” have a long history, having been four-time Victorian champions, won the Dockerty Cup in 1992 and were 1987 runners-up in the old National Soccer League.
The final of the three clubs from Victoria is the iconic South Melbourne FC. Chosen as the Oceania Club of the Century for the 20th century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics, “Hellas” are four-time Australian champions, ten-time Victorian champions, nine-time Dockerty Cup winners, 1999 OFC Champions League winners and featured in the 2000 FIFA Club World Cup. Along with the Marconi Stallions, they were one of two clubs to compete in every season of the National Soccer League. Their 12,000-capacity Lakeside Stadium has hosted a number of high-profile Hahn Australia Cup fixtures in recent years and should be pumping for the start of the Australian Championship.
Moving north, Wollongong Wolves is another Foundation Club which brings a wealth of national stage history to the Australian Championship. Founded in 1980, the Wolves are two-time Australian champions, two-time New South Wales champions, 2019 National Premier League winners and won the OFC Champions League in 2001, becoming only the second Australian club to win a continental double after South Melbourne FC achieved the same feat two years prior. Aside from their rich on-field success, the club has a strong focus on junior development and has shown to be one of the strongest junior nurseries in the country.
Further north, three Foundation Clubs will hail from metropolitan Sydney, the oldest and most historic of which is APIA Leichhardt, founded in 1954. Based in arguably the heartland of Australian Football, Sydney’s inner west, The Tigers were 1987 Australian champions, six-time New South Wales champions, six-time Waratah Cup winners and 1966 Australia Cup winners… to just name a few amongst their 30-trophy haul from their history. The proud club formed by the Australian-Italian community has played at its home ground, the 5,000-capacity Lambert Park, since its inception.
Formed two years later, in 1956, is our second Foundation Club from Sydney, the iconic Marconi Stallions FC. Another proud club formed by the Australian-Italian community, the Stallions are four-time Australian and four-time New South Wales champions. As a founding member of the old National Soccer League, Marconi, along with South Melbourne, were one of just two clubs to compete in all 27 seasons of the old competition. The football team of Club Marconi, a social and sporting club founded by Italian immigrants who settled in Sydney's western suburbs, has contributed significantly to the Australian game, with Socceroos like Harry Kewell, Mark Schwarzer, Maty Ryan, Paul Okon and Frank Farina coming through the club's youth ranks.
The third Foundation Club from Sydney is two-time Australian champions and three-time New South Wales champions Sydney Olympic FC. Founded as Pan-Hellenic Soccer Club in 1957 by Greek immigrants, the Blues were founding members of the old National Soccer League and had one of the strongest supporter bases, setting numerous domestic crowd attendances. The historic club has also contributed immensely to Australian football, having had a number of Socceroos come through their ranks including Tim Cahill, Brett Emerton, Massimo Luongo, Jade North, and Dimitri Petratos, just to name a few.
The final club from Sydney and the final Australian Championship Foundation Club to introduce is the famous Sydney United 58 FC. A powerhouse for youth production in Australia, the club was founded in 1958 as Sydney Croatia by Australian-Croatians and has produced a litany of future Socceroos including Mark Bosnich, Jason Culina, Craig Foster, Mile Jedinak, Zeljko Kalac, Ante Milicic, Ned Zelic, David Zdrilic and current Subway Socceroos head coach Tony Popovic. United are three-time NSL premiers, six-time Waratah Cup winners and featured in three NSL Grand Finals, but in recent years won the National Premier Leagues final series twice in 2013 and 2016, and made the Australia Cup final in 2022.
The Format
The competition format will include a group stage – four groups of four teams playing home and away matches – with the top two in each group qualifying for the elimination Finals Series, culminating in the inaugural Australian Championship Final in early December.
Designed to deliver competitive integrity, excitement, and commercial appeal, the Australian Championship will celebrate Australian football’s authenticity, ambition, and connection while engaging fans nationwide.
NPL Qualification
Subject to meeting compliance requirements, the 2025 Men’s Premier from their respective NPL competition shall be eligible to represent the Member Federation in the Australian Championship.
In the case that a Foundation Club finishes as the 2025 NPL Men’s Premier, or the club that finishes as Premier fails to comply with compliance requirements, the slot shall be awarded to the next-highest placed non-Foundation Club.
NST eligibility criteria is outlined in all NPL Competition Regulations from 2025, noting Football Australia reserves the right to make determinations regarding any aspect of the awarding of the Australian Championship slots.
This unique structure ensures the Australian Championship remains inclusive, aspirational, and representative of the national football landscape.
Football fans are encouraged to follow the NPL competitions and Hahn Australia Cup around the country throughout the season to get a glimpse of the talent and rivalries set to feature in the Australian Championship. From the local grounds to the national stage, these clubs will bring the raw energy and excitement that define Australian football.
Next Steps
Today’s official name and brand launch marks a new era for Australian football, providing a new national platform to showcase the talent, passion, and heritage that unite communities across the country.
With the Australian Championship’s new social media pages launched, the storytelling and promotion of the unique competition is right around the corner.
The Australian Championship trophy will also be unveiled soon ahead of the fixture draw and season launch campaign.
Stay connected with the competition on social media with the @AusChampionship handle on all major platforms, and use the official hashtag #AusChampionship for the latest news.