Sydney FC’s Men and Women sides named Australasia’s Best Sporting Teams

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Sydney FC’s A-League Men and Women sides have been named Australasia’s Best Sporting Team for 2021 and Best Female Sporting Team respectively.

This year saw the Sky Blues Men finish on top of the list and the Sydney FC Women fifth out of almost 200 professional teams. The yearly analysis is conducted by Platinum Asset Management, together with GAIN LINE Analytics.

Sydney FC’s Men won the award, having secured three A-League Men’s Championships in the last five years, while Sydney FC’s A-League Women have been represented in four out of the past five Grand Finals, winning one Championship and one Premiership, in an outstanding period for the club.

The analysis looks at every game in every Australasian sporting competition conducting a home/away or equivalent competition, including Australian teams.

The annual analysis, based on rolling five-year outcomes (2017-2021), contains 16 competitions, including 6 women’s competitions, and the unisex League of Legends Circuit Oceania (esports).

Almost 8,000 individual matches were included in the dataset analysed.

Chief Executive Officer Danny Townsend has previously gone on the record citing a “vision to be the best sporting team in the country of any code” and this award reaffirms this commitment.

“To have the highest rated men’s and women’s teams of all codes in Australia and New Zealand is a huge achievement,” Townsend said/

“Over the last five years our Men’s and Women’s teams have competed in eight out of 10 Grand Finals and it is this consistency that has delivered this accolade.

“I’d like to congratulate everyone at the club from our owners David Traktovenko and Scott Barlow and our Board of Directors to our coaching staff and players, as well as our Members who have stuck by us during a difficult time through displacement from our home stadium and the global pandemic.

“It is an outstanding achievement to celebrate and we will look to challenge for the title again next year.”

Sydney FC have nominated the Sydney FC Foundation to receive a $10,000 grant from Platinum, in recognition of their success.

The Sydney FC Foundation seeks to meaningfully connect with the Sydney FC community and enrich the lives of young people through the power of football and education. The grant will specifically go towards the Foundation’s community pillar and support the Sydney FC Powerchair football team.

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APL and PFA remain without agreement as bargaining tensions continue

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Image Credit: A-Leagues

The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) remain without a new collective bargaining agreement, with negotiations continuing less than three months before the start of the 2026–27 A-Leagues season.

The APL presented the players’ union with a new one-year interim proposal on August 5, which included an increase to the A-League Women salary cap and a commitment to establish a pathway towards full-time professionalism for the women’s competition within 12 months.

The proposed agreement would provide an interim framework while the two parties continue discussions over a longer-term collective bargaining agreement.

APL chief executive Steve Rosich said the proposal reflected the league’s commitment to reaching a sustainable agreement with players following eight months of negotiations.

However, the PFA criticised the APL for publicly announcing the proposal shortly after presenting it to the union, arguing that the approach had further damaged trust between the two parties.

PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch also said players had overwhelmingly rejected the APL’s previous final offer, citing a lack of trust in the league’s ability to ensure its future.

Full-time professionalism for the A-League Women remains a key priority for the PFA, with players seeking improved conditions and greater investment in the competition.

The A-League Men and A-League Women seasons are both scheduled to begin on 16 October 2026.

With the new season approaching, both parties face pressure to resolve the dispute and establish the framework governing player conditions across the A-Leagues.

 

 

Jeff Bezos consortium set for $2.7 billion Liverpool investment

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Image Credits: Fortune

Liverpool could soon welcome one of the world’s richest men into its ownership structure.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is part of a consortium in advanced talks to buy a 30% stake in the club.

The proposed deal values Liverpool at around $8.6 billion (4.5 billion pounds). Bezos has a personal fortune estimated at $363 billion.

The investment would give Fenway Sports Group (FSG) a major financial return. It would also allow FSG to keep control of the club, which they bought in 2010.

The proposal has attracted attention across football. It has also created concern among sections of the Liverpool fanbase.

FSG set for major return

FSG bought Liverpool for $573 million (300 million pounds) in 2010. The ownership group later provided further funding through loans. In the last 16 years, the club has undergone major growth.

Liverpool ended a 30-year wait for a league title in 2020. The club also won the Champions League in 2019. Another Premier League title followed in 2025.

Stadium redevelopment and a new training centre have also increased the club’s value. FSG could cash in on $2.7 billion (1.4 billion pounds) if the 30% share is sold.

The deal would therefore represent a huge return on its original investment. However, whilst the investment would provide a massive cash out for the owners of Liverpool, due to Financial Fair Play there won’t be increased investment in the transfer market.

Why Bezos wants Liverpool

Bezos has explored sports investments before. He has been linked with major American franchises such as the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.

Liverpool would give him a stake in one of football’s biggest global brands. The club also has a large following in the United States. The New York Times has also reported Liverpool has 26 million fans in America.

That makes the investment attractive for investors looking to expand their reach in global sport. American businessmen Eduardo Saverin and Amit Bhatia are also reportedly involved in the consortium.

The deal would add to the growing American influence across English football.

Fans remain cautious

Liverpool supporters have not automatically welcomed the proposal.

The club’s previous experience under Tom Hicks and George Gillett still influences the fanbase.

Supporters also want greater clarity over the consortium’s intentions. Questions remain over board representation, control and the long-term purpose of the investment.

For many fans, ownership must involve more than financial ambition. The Bezos proposal could strengthen Liverpool’s commercial position. It could also deliver a huge payday for FSG.

But until the consortium reveals more about its plans, supporters are likely to treat the deal with scepticism.

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