The A-Leagues must make up for lost time in season 2022-23

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Melbourne Victory

This upcoming A-Leagues season is without a doubt the most significant in its 18-year history.

It’s been said countless times before, but with the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) now at the helm following an official split from the then-named Football Federation Australia at the tail end of 2020, there will be chances aplenty to confidently stamp the local game’s footing within Australia’s sporting ecosystem.

Contrary to the APL’s expectations, season 2021-22 was stunted by challenges off the pitch such as lengthy COVID-19 enforced delays, turbulent weather conditions, chaotic fixture scheduling, and a Perth Glory side left displaced from Western Australia. On the field though, the competition delivered a closely contested finals push, myriad of exciting youngsters, and a largely entertaining stack of fixtures. The surprise package that was Arthur Papas’ dynamic (albeit vulnerable) Newcastle Jets proved a suitable counter-cultural clash to the tactical pragmatism typically associated with the league, and Melbourne Victory’s committed rebuild reignited the return of the league’s best active support – reaffirming what is undoubtedly the league’s greatest asset.

Perth Glory

Understandably, the APL will be seeking to simultaneously make up for lost time and capitalise on the prospects that will arise from the Socceroos efforts at Qatar 2022 and the Matildas’ conquest to earn a trophy at a home World Cup in mid-2023. This will be no easy feat however.

As a result of what’s largely been identified as yet another rebirth year for the A-Leagues following last season’s perceived restart under new broadcasters Channel 10 and Paramount+, the same priorities of last season remain for the APL – they’ve now just been added to the ever-growing list of responsibilities for them to deliver on.

Worries from fans over the leagues’ broadcaster potentially failing to meet basic expectations ahead of the new season were far from allayed when 10 ViacomCBS’ streaming service Paramount+ confirmed the following through Twitter on Wednesday:

“Dear football fans,

“We want to be upfront with you, and unfortunately live pause and rewind won’t be ready for the start of the 2022/23 A-Leagues Season. We understand your frustration and we’re continuing to work on this feature. As soon as it is ready, we will let you know.”

Undeniably the deficiencies of Paramount+ are proving a much greater hindrance to the APL’s growth strategies and simple desire to make the game accessible for fans and casual supporters than they would’ve no doubt wanted. Alignment across the board requires a broadcaster that treats the A-Leagues with the respect it deserves, and the situation reeks of either a mismanagement of time or a pure disrespect for the competition it has taken under its mantle, or both.

Responsiveness and accountability will need to be well-honed attributes for the APL this season, and the first test of that has come from Paramount+ embodying the phrase ‘teething issues’ for far too long with its lack of refinement as a streaming platform. Whilst the APL would’ve hoped that 10 ViacomCBS would honour their end of the partnership, the onus is on them as a governing body to outline when answers will be provided.

Western United

Despite the issues with Paramount+, the release of ‘Sky Blue: Inside Sydney FC’ – a documentary which mirrors the fly-on-the-wall style made famous by ‘Sunderland ‘Til I Die’ and Amazon’s ‘All Or Nothing’ series – via the streaming service satisfies the exact craving for in-depth content that fans have been begging for here. And it does reaffirm that the broadcasting home of Australian football is looking to match the passion of its fans. It begs the question though of whether the priority for both the APL and 10 ViacomCBS is accumulating streaming viewers or viewing numbers on free-to-air? The move to push the A-League Men from its main channel to Channel 10’s more sports-based sister channel 10 Bold perhaps suggests the former.

Whether such a move is positive or negative is not the dilemma for now, in fact, the A-Leagues now hold in their palms the capacity to produce their own unique content and to dictate their own message. The recently announced A-Leagues All Access series is the first real show of this self-sufficiency as it will take fans into the behind-the-scenes of both the A-League Men and Women week-to-week in order to showcase its depth of characters and to provide casual fans with reasons for investment.

A series which plays out in such a manner will be rife with potential for bite-sized, accessible content that excitedly beckons virality. And that is nothing but a fortuitous result for the A-Leagues, especially in drawing in a younger, more tech-savvy generation of football adherents. The admittedly small pool of dedicated A-Leagues fans will undoubtedly grow if the right manoeuvres continue to be made by the APL who will be looking to translate high participation rates and a common love for the global game outside of Australia to fans attending and watching A-Leagues games.

In addition, re-engaging disenchanted fans who have had their passion for the league tainted by issues such as uncertain club ownership, over policing of active support, high ticket prices, and the seemingly endless disharmony within Australian football will only come from treating the league and these supporters with integrity.

A longstanding issue within the A-Leagues has been its meandering search for identity, something which is made all the more difficult by a franchise model that leaves clubs attempting to cultivate a tangible connection to the respective region or city they represent. During the league’s high of 2012-2016 active support was that answer to the question of ‘who are we?’. How well the APL and its 12 A-Leagues clubs have proceeded to reconnect with active support groups (whose relationship with the league’s previous administrator FFA became tarnished by an evident lack of a concrete ally) over the off-season will only be known once the season kicks-off, but what needs to be stressed for the umpteenth time is the fact that a healthy fan culture is everything to the longevity of the A-Leagues. The league’s highest average attendance came during the 2013-14 season with 13,479 and will likely take some time to get back to, and for the A-Leagues to meet Professional Footballers Australia’s achievable target of a 10,000 attendance average there needs to be a revitalising of active support.

Adelaide

Marquee players and coaches in the vein of Nani, Charlie Austin and Dwight Yorke are essential for bringing mainstream eyes towards the A-League Men, but for the even younger A-League Women’s competition there is significant potential to cultivate interest and growth in active support numbers even before the onset of a home Women’s World Cup.

With a men’s World Cup atypically scheduled mid-season as a result of unplayable weather conditions during Qatar’s summer, the opportunity will be ripe to convert rusted on A-League Men’s supporters towards the Liberty A-League. Particularly as the women’s competition will continue to run throughout the duration of Qatar 2022 when the men’s competition breaks for a month.

Furthermore, the move to play games in suitable stadia at family-friendly times and to provide free tickets for registered players under 16 will undoubtedly be conducive to a better atmosphere at Liberty A-League matches, but investment into the women’s competition and subsequent parity with the men’s competition must follow suit as the women’s game grows here.

A-League Women's

For many, 2022-23 will be that catalyst for becoming invested in the local game, such is the magnitude of a World Cup finals berth for the Socceroos and Matildas. To add to this, the men’s 2023 Asian Cup will begin soon after the 2022 World Cup concludes and will surely influence the APL and Football Australia’s thinking when looking further engross fans.

There is an abundance of opportunity awaiting the APL in season 2022-23, particularly with league heavyweights Sydney FC buoyed by a newly built Allianz Stadium and COVID-19 claiming less dominance within the collective Australian sporting fan’s psyche. However, uniting and ultimately satisfying both disenchanted and rusted on fans will go a long way toward making up for a nullified first year in charge and years of disillusionment under FFA. And truthfully, football possesses a greater chance of swaying the APL’s targeted youth demographic over any other sport in the country, its simply a matter of engaging.

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Football Has the Audience. Does It Have the Commercial Strategy?

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Image Credit: One Nil Media

Soccerscene has launched Survey 4: Commercial Confidence in Football, calling on clubs, sponsors, governing bodies, commercial leaders and football industry professionals to assess whether the game is making the most of its enormous commercial potential.

Football has the audience, participation base and community reach to be one of Australia’s most powerful commercial platforms. But does the industry have the commercial strategy, professionalism and infrastructure required to turn that potential into sustainable growth?

That is the question at the centre of Soccerscene’s latest industry research.

The survey examines how attractive grassroots football is to potential commercial partners, what industry professionals believe is limiting football’s commercial potential, and whether clubs are presenting themselves professionally enough to sponsors.

It also explores what sponsors value most when engaging with football – from community reach and participation scale to brand alignment, values and purpose – as well as whether improved facilities could directly contribute to stronger sponsorship outcomes.

Is football fully capitalising on its commercial opportunity?

Football continues to provide brands with access to highly engaged communities across grassroots, community and elite environments. Yet the commercial landscape remains fragmented, with clubs operating with vastly different levels of resources, capability, governance, media infrastructure and commercial expertise.

Soccerscene’s survey is designed to capture the industry’s perspective on where the opportunities exist – and where football may be leaving commercial value on the table.

The research will look specifically at four key areas:

  • Commercial attractiveness – How attractive is grassroots football as a commercial partnership?
  • Commercial barriers – What is holding football back from reaching its full commercial potential?
  • Club professionalism – Are clubs presenting themselves effectively and professionally to sponsors?
  • Sponsor value – What are sponsors really looking for when they invest in football?

The survey also asks whether better facilities would have a direct impact on sponsorship outcomes, highlighting the potential relationship between infrastructure, commercial presentation and investment.

Have your say

Soccerscene is encouraging football clubs, sponsors, commercial professionals, governing bodies, administrators, media professionals and industry stakeholders to participate.

The findings will contribute to Soccerscene’s ongoing program of industry research, designed to provide a clearer picture of the challenges and opportunities facing football and the organisations operating within it.

Take the Survey: Commercial Confidence in Football

Complete the Commercial Confidence in Football Survey here

The survey will close on 30 August 2026 at midnight, with responses received before the deadline included in the final analysis.

Football has the audience. The question is whether it has the commercial strategy to match.

“Break the ceiling”: South Melbourne’s A-League ambition

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Image Credits: South Melbourne FC

South Melbourne is knocking on the A-League’s door again. The four-time National Soccer League champions formally signalled their intention to enter the A-Leagues earlier this month, opening discussions with the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) over potential A-League Men’s and Women’s licences. The timing was significant; the announcement came a day after the APL terminated Western United’s licence.

But South Melbourne’s ambitions are bigger than simply replacing Western United. The club and its co-president, Bill Papastergiadis, believe its recent success has demonstrated that it is ready for professional football once again. South won the inaugural Australian Championship in 2025, is competing professionally in the Oceania Professional League and has continued to make its mark in the Australia Cup, including a 2-1 victory over Adelaide United in July.

Time to open up

For co-president Bill Papastergiadis, however, the push is ultimately about something bigger than South Melbourne.

“The aspirations of South Melbourne, regarding A-League football, are not just a story about South Melbourne. It’s a story for the football public and the football community,” Papastergiadis said.

“It’s a story for all of us because football is a metaphor for life’s aspirations and football revolves around the ability to inspire, to improve, and to succeed.”

Papastergiadis believes the current structure of Australian football has created a ceiling for clubs outside the A-Leagues, one that limits ambition and, ultimately, competition.

“At the moment, the glass ceiling stifles that competition and stifles those aspirations, and at that upper level, and it’s to its detriment,” he said.

South Melbourne’s argument is closely tied to the history of the NSL, when clubs could be promoted and relegated based on their performances rather than being permanently separated into different tiers. Papastergiadis remembers the intensity that came with that system when South resided in the top flight of Australian football.

“I myself remember the intensity of the matches for the clubs that were in the relegation zone. Back then during the National Soccer League,” he said.

“It keeps clubs on their toes. Everyone is engaged when they know that there are ramifications for their actions and conduct. If there are no ramifications for that, how do you have accountability?”

That philosophy sits at the heart of South Melbourne’s A-League push. The club does not simply want to join the existing system; it wants to challenge the idea that the highest level of Australian football should be closed off from the rest of the pyramid. South Melbourne won the inaugural Australian Championship but, unlike in other systems, is not rewarded with top-flight football. The club has continued strongly in 2026, knocking out A-League side Adelaide United in the Australia Cup.

South Melbourne and Bill Papastergiadis celebrate a win in the Australia Cup Image Credits: Bill Papastergiadis

“Where is it in the football dictionary that winning a title doesn’t give you the opportunity to progress within the football pyramid?” Papastergiadis asked.

“All of the matches involving A-League clubs have been incredibly tight, and the majority of them were knocked out in the earlier rounds by numerous NPL clubs.

“So we can compete on the field; our crowds in the Australian Championship were comparable to some of the A-League crowds, quite often far better.”

That, he argues, makes South Melbourne a viable proposition.

“We are a viable option. It’s time to open up football and give it back to the public. The public deserves it, and it belongs to everyone.”

A familiar ambition

This is not the first time South Melbourne has tried to enter the A-League.

The club was overlooked when the competition was established in the mid-2000s and again in 2018, when the licence ultimately went to Western United. The latest attempt therefore carries history. The club that missed out on the opportunity to join the A-League in 2018 is now pursuing a place in the competition following Western United’s exit. But Papastergiadis is reluctant to predict what happens next. For now, South Melbourne has done what it believes it needs to do: start the conversation.

“It’s very early for me to comment on our prospects in relation to the A-League at this point,” he said.

“What we’ve simply done is done the appropriate thing, which is to write to the APL. Advise of our intention, advise of our interest.

“It’s in their hands to tell us if they’re interested in this story, if they’re interested in this outcome, and if they’re interested in this conversation.”

Papastergiadis has already briefly spoken with APL chief executive Steve Rosich, who responded to South Melbourne’s initial approach.

“I had a conversation with Steve Rosich. He responded to our letter immediately, and we spoke on the phone, and it was courteous,” Papastergiadis said.

“We advised of our intention. He thanked us for that. I indicated that we would progress to provide more formal document and he said he’ll wait to see that.

South Melbourne is ready to make their bid Image Credits: Greek Herald

There is no guarantee that South Melbourne will receive a licence, and Papastergiadis is clear that the next step is not entirely in the club’s hands.

“There is no certainty in this process,” Papastergiadis said.

“If you don’t ask, you don’t get. It’s up to Football Australia too, to show us the path forward. We need a path forward, and it’s up to the governing body to also work with us.”

The sustainability for Melbourne

The collapse of Western United has inevitably changed the context around South Melbourne’s bid.

Western United announced that the APL had terminated its participation agreement on August 10, while saying it would seek new ownership and a pathway back into the A-League. The club also emphasised the importance of maintaining a professional football presence in Melbourne’s west and continuing its academy and community programs. South Melbourne is now one of the clubs looking towards the opening created by Western United’s departure. But Papastergiadis does not celebrate another club’s demise.

Western United’s fans are left without an A-League club Image Credits: AAP

“I do want to make the point that I’m not happy about any club folding,” he said.

“I believe in football and in the football product, and I believe in football clubs.

For the players from juniors to senior levels, they must be gutted at Western United. Their administration staff, their coaching staff, they must all be gutted. So I feel for them.”

It is a notable distinction. South Melbourne’s ambition may have been reignited by the circumstances surrounding Western United. But for South there is a new opportunity to add to Melbourne football rather than take something away from it. The prospect of South Melbourne joining Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory in the A-League would immediately raise questions about whether the market could sustain another club.

A benefit to all

Papastergiadis has little doubt and points to Melbourne’s size, sporting culture and existing interest in football as reasons for optimism.

“Absolutely. We won’t cannibalise the football-attending public. We will increase it.” He said.

“There is significant potential within the Melbourne market. We reside in the largest city in Australia, and we reside in the sporting capital of Australia, if not the world.

“We will add to the fabric of football and will increase the attendance through derbies. It’s a positive.”

That is ultimately the argument behind South Melbourne’s latest attempt to break into the A-League. The club believes the benefits would extend beyond Lakeside Stadium. South Melbourne’s recent Australian Championship success, professional status in Oceania and strong performances against A-League opposition strengthen it’s case. NPL clubs can compete at the highest level, even if promotion and relegation remain off the table.

For now, South Melbourne can only wait. The APL and Football Australia will determine whether that football product has earned it a place at the top table. But Papastergiadis believes the question is worth asking, not just for South Melbourne, but for Australian football itself.

“Whatever South can achieve in regards to breaking through that glass barrier, then that’s not just the win for South, but it’s a win for football across the board.”

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