A-League Set to Return on July 16

After months of inactivity, the A-League will officially be returning to action next month.

July 16 is the current date that has been planned out by the FFA. Melbourne Victory and Western United look set to kick things off again on that day.

Former Victory star striker Besart Berisha will face his old side once again after getting the better of them earlier in the season.

FFA’s Head of Leagues, Greg O’Rourke had this to say regarding the season restart.

“We have developed multiple draw options for the completion of the regular season”.

“All options commence with Victory taking on Western United at AAMI Park followed by a game between the table topping Sydney FC against third-placed Wellington Phoenix at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium the following day.

“The reason for having multiple draw options — which our clubs are across — is due to the fact that over the next few weeks there may be additional relaxations in border restrictions and travel movements in Australia, which may enable our clubs from Victoria, Queensland and South Australia to remain and play in their home cities, rather than relocating to New South Wales to complete the season.

“We are confident that we will be able to release the revised draw for the completion of the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 season soon.”

So although the season will definitely be getting back underway, there are still lots of variables at play.

As we already know, due to overseas travel restrictions, the Wellington Phoenix have been forced to play all games on Australian soil. Now, with New Zealand’s COVID-19 count basically at zero (which is great), it’s even more unlikely that the New Zealand government will allow any changes to that.

Furthermore, the Australian government would be silly to even propose the question.

Although the Phoenix have no choice but to stay in their ‘hub’, the FFA appears to be very strong-minded on avoiding the use of hubs across the country.

In the AFL, several clubs from Western Australia and South Australia are now being forced to temporarily relocate to Queensland. This is to avoid any potential exposure to COVID-19.

In the NRL, one player was found to have potentially been in contact with a primary school kid who had the virus, leading to suggestions that his side’s fixtures would need to be postponed again.

The impact that even one A-League player with the virus would have could be catastrophic for the FFA and their plans to restart the season.

Players are now allowed to start training as per usual, starting today Wednesday the 17th of June.

With other competitions around the country starting up again, now is an ideal time for the FFA to get the ball rolling. It will also be a good test of how well the A-League performs compared to its winter counterparts.

The A-League, as we all know is played during our summer and hopefully, with renewed interest, it can showcase itself well against the likes of the AFL or the NRL.

Nevertheless, we think it’s safe to say that we’re just glad to have live sports back as we start to creep back into normality.

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Isabella Mossin awarded Ninja A-League Women Referee of the Year

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Image credit: Football NSW

The youngest recipient since its inception, Mossin will officially receive the award after leading the Ninja A-League Grand Final 2026 on Saturday.

 

A rapid rise

After debuting in 2023, Mossin has quickly proved quality, composure and confidence as a referee in the Ninja A-League.

As a result of the achievement, Mossin will be the appointed referee for this weekend’s Grand Final between Melbourne City FC and Wellington Phoenix.

After beginning in the North West Sydney Football Association, Mossin then honed her craft with the Football NSW Referee Academy, a journey with foundations truly embedded in youth development and grassroots football.

Thus, Mossin is not just am individual success story, but a symbol of what institutional investment and opportunities can do for young women looking for a pathway to the game.

 

Celebrating success

The plaudits, unsurprisngly, are arriving from across Australia’s football landscape, with many emphasising the incredible standards set by Mossin since her debut just three years ago.

“This award is testament to Isabella’s hard work and dedication to refereeing, and a great reflection of the next generation of referees coming through the system in Australia,” said A-Leagues CEO, Steve Rosich.

“At just 25 years of age, she has consistently demonstrated composure, leadership, strong decision-making and the ability to perform under pressure in some of the biggest matches in the competition,” highlighted Football Australia Head of Referees, Jon Moss.

“Having someone refereeing their first Ninja A-league Women’s Grand Final at the age of 25 years should inspire all girls and young women referees (and potential referees) and show them that age is not a barrier to talent being recognised within Football Australia refereeing,” said Chair of Football Australia Referee Committee, David Elleray.

Given Mossin’s reputation and experience already at the top level of women’s football in Australia, there is no doubt that she will rise to the occasion this Saturday.

Canada Soccer to begin new National Training Centre project

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Image credit: ACHPF / Shutterstock.com

Backed by the Government of Canada with an investment worth nearly AUD 10 million ($9,826,000), the project aims to establish a world-class facility for athletes, coaches and communities.

Building the sport and community

The investment comes as part of the Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF), an ambitious program of the Government of Canada which will provide AUD 51 billion ($51 billion) to infrastructure projects over 10 years.

However, the Canada Soccer Training Centre is one key project which will benefit from such substantial investment. But the project isn’t just for future players – it will help boost economic activity and create a facility built for excellence and growth.

“It is about creating a world-class sport facility where athletes can train and represent Canada at their best,” explained Secretary of State (Sport), Honourable Adam van Koeverden, via press release.

“From the playground to the podium, it is projects like this that provide athletes, coaches, local families and communities with vibrant, accessible spaces to fuel participation, connection, and a growing passion for sport.”

President of Canada Soccer, Peter Auguros, further expressed his gratitude for the investment and what it could bring future generations.

“This support reflects a shared belief in the power of sport to strengthen communities and develop the next generation of Canadian talent. We are proud to partner in building infrastructure that will benefit our athletes and help shape the future of the sport in Canada.”

 

Growth gains momentum

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 set to kick off in a few short weeks, Canada Soccer’s plan for a National Training Centre Project is symbolic of long-term vision.

The tournament is not a final flourish, but a stepping stone to accelerated growth.

And this is not a short-term setup.

As President of Concacaf and Vice-Preisdent of FIFA, Victori Montagliani explained, this is a project designed to survive for generations.

“The development of a National Training Centre in Canada represents an important legacy project for the country and it is always a positive sign when our members invest in infrastructure across the region.”

 

Final thoughts

The project, therefore, perfectly aligns a growing buzz for football across the region with intentional investment and ambition.

And although the action must eventually stop on the pitch, Canada Soccer are ensuring that growth continues long after the tournament’s final whistle.

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