A-Leagues Unite Round returns for a second season

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The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) have confirmed the return of Unite Round to the A-Leagues for the 2024/25 season with some changes from the first edition.

The A-League’s ‘ultimate away day’ utilises the same idea as the AFL and NRL with ‘Gather Round’ and ‘Magic Round’ respectively, where one round for both men’s and women’s leagues will all be played in one city.

The second instalment of Unite Round will be once again hosted in New South Wales and will now start on 22 November and conclude on 24 November, instead of taking place in January.

The six games from each league will be split into three double headers throughout the weekend. All of the men’s games will be played at Allianz Stadium whereas the women’s games will be played at Leichhardt Oval. However, Commbank Stadium will not be a featured venue, unlike last season.

Due to the inception of Auckland FC into the A-League Men, there will be an uneven number of teams in the league and therefore each club must serve a bye each weekend. The bye will fall onto Melbourne City during Unite Round, but their women’s side will still play that weekend.

The APL seems to be satisfied to give it another shot, but it still raises many questions about what has been done to entice fans to make the journey to New South Wales and what improvements have been implemented to make this round sustainable for future seasons.

Last year’s fixtures showcased many high-scoring games, with four out of the six men’s games during Unite Round having five or more goals scored- with Adelaide United’s Hiroshi Ibuski and Macarthur FC’s Ulises Dávila both scoring hat-tricks during the weekend.

However, crowd numbers were quite low given the stadiums where these games were being played. To provide context, Leichhardt Oval, Commbank Stadium and Allianz Stadium have a venue capacity of 20,000, 30,000 and 42,500 respectively.

A-League Men Unite Round Crowd Numbers:

  • Macarthur FC vs Western United at Commbank Stadium: 3,441
  • Western Sydney Wanderers vs Melbourne City at Commbank Stadium: 7,117
  • Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne Victory at Allianz Stadium: 8,147
  • Sydney FC vs Adelaide United at Allianz Stadium: 11,918
  • Brisbane Roar vs Newcastle Jets at Allianz Stadium: 3,948
  • Perth Glory vs Wellington Phoenix at Commbank Stadium: 1,632

A-League Women Unite Round Crowd Numbers:

  • Melbourne Victory vs Perth Glory at Leichhardt Oval: 1,130
  • Wellington Phoenix vs Central Coast Mariners at Leichhardt Oval: 1,938
  • Canberra United vs Adelaide United at Leichhardt Oval: 1,183
  • Brisbane Roar vs Newcastle Jets at Leichhardt Oval: 1,417
  • Western United vs Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium: 4,039
  • Western Sydney Wanderers vs Melbourne City at Commbank Stadium: 1,515

For the first time as a way to get more people to travel to New South Wales, full-season members at every club will be given access to complimentary tickets to their club’s fixtures at Unite Round. This could potentially see an increase in crowd numbers, but there are still other factors that may steer fans away from travelling.

According to the Unite Round FAQs on the A-Leagues website, the APL is working with a few providers on travel discounts for fans to travel to New South Wales, but at the moment, flights aren’t the cheapest if you decide to plan ahead.

The cheapest interstate flights in Australia can range from $200 to $600 depending on where you are travelling from. But when you take into account fans of Wellington Phoenix and Auckland FC who may want to travel from New Zealand, the cheapest flights will cost from $400 to $600. Also, fans would need to sort out accommodation and that too is still another expense fans will have to deal with.

The idea to bring Unite Round for a second season enables fans from Australia and New Zealand to come together and celebrate football in one location. The fixtures that have been released should excite all A-League fans as the two New South Wales derbies are being played that weekend.

Taking into consideration the expenses fans have to deal with, it may not be feasible for some fans to enjoy the festivities. However, it’s still early days and the APL could potentially sort out ways for fans to make it easier for them to travel.

Considering the league undergoing some financial troubles, they’ll be hoping to make the most out of Unite Round and continue it for more future seasons to come.

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Bundesliga DNA to the Boardroom: German-born Martin Kugeler Takes the Helm at Football Australia

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Image Credit: Stan

German-born executive, Martin Kugeler, shaped by Europe’s football culture and based in Australia since 2009, will step in as Football Australia CEO in February as the game eyes a defining 2026.

Reaching new heights

During the press conference held earlier this morning, Kugeler displayed both confidence and ambition as he prepares to lead a new era for Football Australia next month.

“Football in Australia has a strong foundation for growth. Our national impact is massive,” he said, highlighting both the immense number of participants and local clubs in Australia. He then continued to underline both the Socceroos and the Matildas as valuable assets in the nation’s football sphere.

“We have exceptional national teams that continually make us proud. They perform at a truly global scale and unite not only the football community, but the entire nation.”

With both the AFC Women’s Asian Cup and the FIFA Men’s World Cup both on the horizon in 2026, the year certainly represents a huge opportunity for both the men’s and women’s game to showcase Australian footballing talent on an international scale. But the focus, as Krugeler underlined, will extend beyond the national team and address all levels of football in Australia to help the game grow.

“Football brings people and communities together. For a healthy lifestyle, for connection, for enjoyment, for belonging, powered by a remarkable, passion [and] dedicated players, referees, coaches, volunteers and fans,” he continued.

An inspiring reminder to all those involved in the game across Australia, and one which will hopefully show participants and stakeholders at all levels that 2026 will begin a new period of stability, growth and innovation.

 

Expertise, passion and ambition

Of course, the dawn of a new era for Football Australia cannot be successfully achieved without addressing the past and current issues, while still keeping an ambitious eye on what football can become at both national and international level for Australia.

Alongside Kugeler in the FA leadership team will be Football Australia Chair, Anter Isaac, as well as former Matilda, and current interim CEO of Football Australia, Heather Garriock. With their combined industry expertise and true passion for the game, all fans, players and stakeholders can be optimistic for the future of football governance in Australia.

But while expertise and passion are undoubtedly valuable assets for the FA, it remains essential that these help to inform the decisions and solutions made with the game’s best interests at heart.

 

 

 

 

‘We Can Do So Much More’: Players Take Control of the A-League Women’s Future

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Image Credit: One Nil

Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) has launched Ready For Takeoff – The Players’ Vision for the A-League Women, a player-led roadmap outlining the future direction of the domestic women’s competition.

Unveiled on Wednesday at Ultra Football in Melbourne, the initiative places current A-League Women players at the centre of discussion. Elevating the debate around professionalism, sustainability and long-term growth of the league.

The Players’ Vision for the A-League Women – Image Credit: One Nil

The vision, developed through consultation with players across the competition, calls for improved professional standards, greater investment and governance structures that reflect the specific needs of the women’s game. It comes amid ongoing conversations about contract security, season length and the transition toward full-time professionalism.

PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch – Image Credit: One Nil

PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch said players had been clear about the sacrifices required to continue competing in the league.

“We’ve heard from players about the struggle and sacrifices they continue to make to play the game they love, but we can do so much more than this,” Busch said. “A fully professional game here in Australia is crucial to creating the next generation of Matildas, but also to ensure we reach our potential and win a FIFA World Cup.”

PFA Deputy Chair Elise Kellond-Knight and A-League Women players Grace Maher and Dylan Holmes also addressed media, reinforcing the importance of player voices in shaping the future of the competition.

The PFA said Ready For Takeoff provides a clear, achievable framework for the continued evolution of the A-League Women. The initiative urges stakeholders to work collaboratively with players to ensure the league’s growth matches the talent, ambition and momentum of women’s football in Australia.

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