PFA Reveals Findings from 2024-25 A-League Men Report

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Image credit: Freedomz / Shutterstock.com

Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) has released the 2024-25 A-League Men Report featuring insights into the developments and challenges experienced across the men’s game throughout last season.  

Recently published, the report collected data through PFA end of season surveys, post-match surveys and fan focus groups to gain a comprehensive understanding of player and fan experiences. The report’s findings will hopefully serve not only to highlight existing issues within the men’s game, but to provide a direction for future decisions by the Australian Premier League going into the 2025-26 season. 

Key findings

Inconsistent Attendances

Aided by the introduction of Auckland FC, the average ALM attendance rose by 9% from last season. As the report shows, the club reached a league-high average crowd of 18,101, cementing Auckland as a dominating force both on the pitch and in the stands. Seven other clubs also increased their game attendances, most notably led by Newcastle Jets with a 14% improvement. 

Despite this, five clubs saw attendances fall drastically. Melbourne City witnessed a concerning decline of 27% compared to the 2023-24 season, representing the highest drop-off in the league despite achieving on-pitch success and topping the PFA’s Club Index scorecard. Poor attendance is a common theme across the ALM and ALW, with the latter seeing all but two clubs (Adelaide United and Brisbane Roar) increase their attendance since the 2023-24 season.

Falling attendances are also emphasised by excessive stadium capacities. Only three clubs, Auckland, Adelaide and Western United, managed to fill over half of their stadium capacity, illustrating the need to address stadium infrastructure across the league in future seasons.

Player Dissatisfaction 

Similar to the findings in the 2024-25 ALW Report, ALM players continue to prefer an independent commission to the current APL board. According to the 2024-25 end of season survey, 52% of players were dissatisfied with the APL’s management of the A-League, and 60% affirmed that the ALM board should be formed by individuals with no formal connections to clubs. 

With the current board featuring five club representatives, decisions are increasingly likely to be impacted by conflicts of interest. To resolve such concerns, following the models of leagues like the AFL and NRL may offer a more effective form of governance, in which commissioners selected by the clubs satisfy the prerequisite balance of skills and experience.  

Youth Representation 

A record number of match minutes were given to players under the age of 21 in the ALM last season. According to the report’s findings, Under 21s made up 18% of match minutes, with players under 25 accounting for 56% of minutes played. 

High levels of youth representation isn’t necessarily a cause for concern, as it implies that club academies are maturing and producing high-quality talents worthy of professional minutes. As future generations look to the professional game for inspiration, seeing young players be given the chance to prove themselves is an encouraging sign. 

However, the increasing reliance on young players may also be influenced by clubs turning towards a transfer-focussed revenue and a desire to cut player costs while traditional revenue (such as from broadcasting) falls. 

What Should the Focus be Moving Forward?

As the APL and competing clubs are currently competing in the 2025-26 season, addressing the issues revealed in the ALM Report will help professional football in Australia to flourish. 

Improving Infrastructure 

Increasing attendances and filling stadium capacity will help to elevate matchday atmospheres and thus create an incentive for consistent attendance throughout the season. To this end, following the model practised by MLS clubs in America could be crucial.

According to the report, 22 out of the 29 MLS clubs with stadium capacities of 18,000 to 30,000 all achieved utilisation rates of 79%. Stadia with lower capacity can drive an improved matchday atmosphere and ultimately encourage fans to regularly attend ALM games. 

Inspire Collaboration 

Earlier this week, the PFA and FSAA (Football Supporters Association Australia) announced a new partnership aimed at establishing connections between players and fans and giving them a voice in future decision-making.

This marks a step in the right direction for the men’s game and points to an optimistic future in which all parties can voice their opinion before changes are implemented. Increased collaboration will ensure decisions are collectively agreed upon and reduce conflicts among stakeholders and participants in the APL.

Pounce on International Opportunities  

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ approaches, clubs in Australia should see the tournament as a unique opportunity for economic and cultural growth within the men’s game. As part of the altered Men’s World Cup Club Benefits Program, clubs who released players for qualifiers and for the final tournament will now receive a share of the pot totalling just under AUD 535 million. Although it remains unclear how much of this will go to ALM clubs, it remains an added incentive for clubs to propel their players into contention for the tournament in North America next year.

With more domestic players performing alongside the most successful footballing nations on the world stage, it proves to clubs, players and fans that football in Australia deserves high-quality governance, infrastructure and working conditions.

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Gold Coast United FC reveals Burleigh Brewing as new partner

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Gold Coast United FC / Facebook

The Queensland-based club revealed on Tuesday that the brewing company will join the GCU and Tally Valley Tigers family as a new partner. 

 

Forging new connections 

The news of the collaboration is one which should excite local supporters and club members alike. The Queensland-based club displayed their pride at teaming up with Burleigh Brewing in an announcement via social media. 

“How good is this! For GCU, Tally and Burleigh Brewing, this is the partnership that was meant to be,” Gold Coast United said. 

“Deeply rooted in the local community and obsessed about quality, BB founders Peta and Brennan Fielding share the same depth of passion for beer, as we do for football.” 

Two essential aspects of this partnership are evident in Gold Coast United’s announcement: community and quality. Essentially, by joining forces with a local business equally as committed to achieving excellence in their field, it is no wonder why the club is looking forward to tackling the upcoming season with the backing of Burleigh Brewing. 

 

Pursuing a shared vision 

In any successful commercial partnership, both parties need to not only share a common vision, but pursue it with conviction.

For Gold Coast United and the Tally Valley Tigers, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of unique development across all levels at the club. Following the announcement of a merger in October 2025, the two clubs are eager to encourage and sustain widespread participation in community football. 

Furthermore, by offering opportunities to young talents in the region from 5 to 18 years old, Gold Coast United and the Tally Valley Tigers can provide a setting for sporting prowess and local participation. And by joining forces with Burleigh Brewing – who proudly stand as a community-oriented and family-run organisation – the foundations for a healthy partnership are already there.

“It is with huge thanks to Peta, Brennan, Holli, Sam and the crew at Burleigh Brewing for seeing the same vision that we do for the pursuit of quality, achievement and the bringing together of community,” Gold Coast United added. 

Team spirit after the final whistle 

As a popular brewery and taphouse since 2006, Burleigh Brewing have a 20-year history of providing high-quality products. For them, high standards are a non-negotiable.

Yet beyond offering expertly crafted beer, Burleigh Brewing also understands the importance of its customers. Additionally, with the capacity to host groups and functions up to 600 people, the Gold Coast United fanbase can expect Burleigh Brewing to become the go-to location for socialising and connecting even after the final whistle.

 

Why A-League Women players believe the next phase of the game must start now

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

As Australian football enters a new phase of growth and reflection, A-League Women players are seeking to ensure the future of their competition is shaped with them, not around them. A new player-led vision announced last week at Ultra Football in Abbotsford, sets out what those inside the game believe is required for the league to move beyond survival and toward sustainable professionalism.

A shared vision

Ready For Takeoff is a player-driven vision for the future of the A-League Women, developed through consultation with player delegates from every club across the competition. Led by Professional Footballers Australia, the initiative brings together the shared priorities of those currently navigating the league’s semi-professional reality. It outlines what players believe is required to move the competition toward long-term sustainability.

Rather than offering broad aspirations, the document focuses on practical and achievable reforms, spanning professionalism, governance and resourcing. Its emphasis is on creating conditions that allow players to train, recover and compete at a level consistent with a fully professional league. While also building structures capable of supporting future growth.

A-League Women player Dylan Holmes believes the process revealed how closely aligned players’ experiences were across the league. “When we came together, it was clear we all faced very similar challenges but wanted the same things,” Holmes said. “This work is the culmination of those discussions and outlines realistic, tangible steps to take the game to the next level.”

PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch – Image Credit: One Nil

The cost of the current system

Behind the league’s growing visibility, many A-League Women players continue to operate within a system defined by short-term contracts and a largely semi-professional structure. Club commitments are made increasingly more difficult as players must balance additional employment or study, limited training and recovery time, and questions over long-term security. The result is not only personal and financial strain, but broader consequences for the competition’s ability to retain talent and support player wellbeing.

These conditions also shape the league’s development pathways, with young players often forced to make difficult choices about whether a professional career in football is viable in Australia. PFA chief executive Beau Busch said players had been clear about the sacrifices required simply to remain in the game. “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.”

“A fully professional game is crucial to creating the next generation of Matildas and achieving our potential.”

Turning Matilda’s momentum into domestic opportunity

Throughout the launch, speakers repeatedly pointed to the Matildas as both a benchmark and a blueprint for what sustained investment in the women’s game can deliver. PFA chief executive Beau Busch referenced the national team’s commercial success to highlight the opportunity facing the A-League Women, arguing that professionalism at domestic level is essential to converting broader public interest into a viable league product.

The comparison was framed less as imitation than as evidence of latent value. The Matildas’ ability to attract audiences, sponsors and broadcast attention was presented as proof of concept for what is possible when the women’s game is properly resourced. A-League Women player Dylan Holmes echoed that sentiment, saying “when you invest in women, really amazing things will come.” For the A-League Women, speakers argued, the task is to build structures that allow the domestic competition to capture that momentum and present a compelling, sustainable proposition to commercial stakeholders.

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

A moment for new thinking in governance

Central to the players’ vision is a call for governance structures that are fit for purpose. This is particularly important at a time when leadership across Australian football is in transition. The Ready For Takeoff document argues that the A-League Women’s development has been constrained by a club-majority APL board. It says that this practice does not adequately recognise the specific needs of the women’s game.

Instead, the players advocate for an independent commission model, similar to those governing the AFL and NRL, with transparent rules, appropriate gender representation and mandated expertise in women’s football. The aim, the document argues, is not simply reform for reform’s sake, but the creation of a structure capable of stewarding the A-League Women’s growth. Achieving this in its own right, rather than as an adjunct to the men’s competition.

That argument lands at a moment of change. The recent appointment of Steve Rosich as chief executive of the APL and Martin Kugeler as the new CEO of Football Australia, has opened a window for fresh thinking about how the domestic game is governed. For players, the timing presents a rare opportunity: to ensure that new strategies are shaped not only by commercial imperatives, but by the lived realities of those sustaining the league on the pitch.

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