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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WA announce TV series for Sam Kerr’s children’s novels

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Image Credit: James Ross/AAP

A new TV series based on Sam Kerr’s children’s books ‘Kicking Goals’ is set to begin filming in early 2027 in Western Australia.

The show follows a young Kerr before she became captain of the Matildas and a star at Chelsea FC. Set in her home state of WA, the story sees her navigate her way through growing up and chasing her dreams, alongside her family and friends, and the adventures that entailed.

Speaking to Screenwest, Kerr said, ‘It’s pretty surreal knowing that Kicking Goals is being adapted into a TV series. These stories are all about believing in yourself and having a go, so it feels really special that a whole new generation will get to experience them on screen.’

Co-authored by Fiona Harris, the books have been a success since their initial release in 2021, a period which has coincided with Kerr and her Matildas teammates growing from beloved within Australia’s football community, into a team of genuine national appeal and recognition. They are available nation-wide, sold at major retailers such as Big W and Dymocks.

The television adaptation will beproduced by Orange Entertainment for Paramount+.

‘Kicking Goals’ is set to inject AUD 5million into the WA economy and provide over 130 local jobs.

Creative Industries Minister of WA, Simone McGurk, said via WA GOV, ‘The series will showcase all that Western Australia has to offer – including our world-class talent, crew, and diverse locations – while celebrating the story of one of our sporting greats.’

Casting is currently underway, with a search for a young Kerr and her mates ongoing.

The months after the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australian and New Zealand saw an 11% increase in women and girl’s participation in football compared to the previous year, showing the direct impact the biggest stage can have on grassroots football.

Kerr has managed to build on that success and begin a new chapter, inspiring kids both on and off the field.

Brisbane Roar partners with PlanPay for 2026/27

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Image Credit: Brisbane Roar

TWELVE months ago, as the 2025/26 A-League Men’s season kicked off, Brisbane Roar’s active supporter group surged back to life.

‘The Den’ – as they’re known – had been a famous feature of the Roar’s Championship-winning glory years. Now heavily re-populated by a younger wave of supporters, their enthusiasm through early-season results against Macarthur, Melbourne City and Newcastle made them, momentarily, the talk of the A-League.

The Roar’s administration understand what a crucial role their supporters play in the health of the club – be they the new generation at the front of The Den, or the loyalists who have ridden the ups and downs of their 21 A-League seasons.

So, they have partnered with Australian-founded company PlanPay, to soften the financial barriers and increase fiscal flexibility for those wanting to cheer on the Roar’s men’s and women’s sides, helping to get them in the stands as early as possible.

‘Membership is the most important thing we offer, but given the current cost of living crisis, it’s also the hardest ask at the moment,’ Roar’s Head of Public Relations and Communications, Joseph Esposito, told Soccerscene.

‘When you’re targeting families of four, or youngsters, a full membership can be a big hit in one go. It’s important to be realistic, so having an option like PlanPay lets members spread that cost over time with no interest and no credit check.’

‘It also means we can get people to commit to membership earlier, to come on board and be part of something. It works on both ends, allowing us to offer an earlier price point for potential members – and most importantly, we’re not asking them to spend beyond their means.’

One of PlanPay’s key advantages is its ability to align payment schedules with how Australians actually earn their income.

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics payroll data from March 2024, approximately 86% of Australian employees are paid weekly or fortnightly, with 33% receiving weekly wages and 53% paid fortnightly. In comparison, just 12% are paid monthly.

Despite this, many traditional membership payment options are structured around upfront or monthly payments, which don’t necessarily align with household cash flow.

By offering weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments, PlanPay allows Roar supporters to choose a payment schedule that suits their payday and household budget, making football memberships more manageable without relying on credit, interest or debt.

The partnership is also timely in a local sense; the ABS has also found sports participation costs in Brisbane rose 9.6% in the year to June 2025. Furthermore, as of March 2026, 41% of Australians had used a BNPL service in the past six months (Finder).

‘From our end, it’s essentially a bit like a modern layby. You choose your membership, pay a small deposit, and then pay the rest in instalments on the schedule that suits the individual,’ said Esposito.

‘Once the first payment is made your membership is fully active. We have previously had monthly payments to ease the pinch, but opening it up to have fortnightly or weekly options, more often makes it a whole lot easier to have people in.’

PlanPay was founded in Sydney in 2022 as a digitised lay-by for travel, and has since moved into ticketing, sports, and live events alongside expansion into the US and UK.

The company is now based in Charlotte, North Carolina, while maintaining its engineering, customer support and onboarding presence in Australia. PlanPay continues to partner with merchants globally to bring another way to pay, to more fans, Brian Learst, Chairman of PlanPay said:

‘We are thrilled to help Brisbane Roar FC lower the total cost of attending their matches by providing fans with debt-free, interest-free flexible payment plans.’

‘PlanPay allows fans to purchase the best seats early and customise their payment size and timing.’

Both the Roar’s men’s and women’s side present as fascinating prospects this season.

Newly-appointed women’s manager Johnathan Clemente is the youngest manager in A-Leagues history, with his charges looking to better last season’s impressive semi-final finish.

Meanwhile, the men’s outfit kicked off their second season under Michael Valkanis on Friday at Suncorp Stadium with an impressive win over Perth Glory, and will again rely on the energy and passion of those in the stands to drive their success both on and off the field.

‘Our fans are not just the present, but the future. In that regard, it’s not about getting them to spend beyond their means; it’s about allowing them to get in earlier, and in an easier way,’ continued Esposito.

‘Lots of younger fans are students, or they’re early in their working lives. Being realistic about it, paying a full season membership can sometimes be a real barrier, especially if they’re living out of home, paying rent for the first time.

‘Having PlanPay allows them to have the option that isn’t acquiring interest or debt, makes it easier for them to budget, and most importantly allows them to do what they do, without spending beyond their means.’

Make Membership More Accessible for Your Fans — Talk to PlanPay

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