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The Australian Championship Thread

What would be great, a NST wirh 16 teams, four divisions, with 8 original teams playing along with the NPL winners (with two more). with semis..maaate.
 
Key highlights of the NST competition model for 2025 include:

Commitment to Play: Football Australia, alongside the NST Foundation Clubs and key stakeholders, share a commitment to launch the NST Competition in 2025. This decision ensures alignment with the original strategic objectives of connecting the football pyramid in Australia and elevating iconic clubs to the national stage.

New Competition Structure: The NST will feature a 16-team format, consisting of group stage matches and culminating in an elimination Finals Series. This structure has been designed to ensure the competition model is sustainable while maintaining a high degree of competitive integrity and commercial appeal.

Team Composition: The eight NST Foundation Clubs will be granted automatic access and are joined by eight invitational clubs comprised of the Member Federation NPL State Premiers from the respective domestic season - delivering a national competition.

Season Timeline: The NST competition will be held annually between October and December, initially across nine matchday rounds, and concluding with a Championship Final in early December. The spring calendar window provides the agility to expand and align within the Domestic Match Calendar ensuring optimal fixturing for players, fans, and stakeholders.

Brand Launch: Football Australia can confirm the competition’s name, brand identity, marketing collateral, and the new trophy design will be unveiled in the coming months, setting the stage for a memorable debut season.
 
Over the past 12 months, Football Australia has undertaken two comprehensive Request for Proposal (RFP) processes to select NST clubs. This work, supported by advisory partner BDO, has successfully identified 14 clubs representing six states and territories that have each passed the technical elements of the NST RFP process.

Six of the 14 clubs were unable to meet the mandatory financial requirements required to play in a standalone NST home & away league competition prior to the deadline in June 2024, however Football Australia will continue to monitor these clubs as they seek to advance their bid proposals.

Football Australia has also committed to a third NST RFP selection process, expanded to target clubs outside of the initial Expression of Interest process and predominantly from underrepresented states. It is hoped this enhanced national focus will identify additional foundation clubs.

The eight clubs announced in November 2023 — APIA Leichhardt FC, Avondale FC, Marconi Stallions FC, Preston Lions FC, South Melbourne FC, Sydney Olympic FC, Sydney United 58 FC, and Wollongong Wolves FC — remain integral to the future growth of the NST and will continue to be recognised as foundation members.

The six additional clubs that have passed the technical elements of the NST RFP process include: Adelaide City FC, Caroline Springs-George Cross FC, Gold Coast United FC, Gungahlin United FC, South Hobart FC, and Sunshine Coast FC.
 
People are moaning and groaning about this but it’s a start! Much better than nothing, and seems like they are committed to a home and away start in 2026. Clearly the other 6 teams didn’t have the financials for a full home and away league. An 8 team “National” Second Tier league only from NSW and Victoria would not have worked. People say POMs are whingers but the reality is that Australians are probably the biggest whingers in the world. (I am Australian).
 
NPL championship series winners.

2013 - sydney united
2014 - metrostars
2015 - blacktown city
2016 - sydney united
2017 - Heidelberg United
2018 - Campbelltown City
2019 - Wollongong Wolves

It's just a continuation of this...
 
Ah, so didn't read this elsewhere in the recent posts (but may have skimmed, so my bad if that's the case) But there's an updated FAQ doc.

Full format appears to be:
4x groups of 4 (home and away matchdays), with the top 2 advancing to quarter finals (single leg), then semi final, then final, resulting in 9 games total for the finalists, 6 games total (3 home and 3 away) for those eliminated in the group stage.
 
Kitwally said:
People are moaning and groaning about this but it’s a start! Much better than nothing, and seems like they are committed to a home and away start in 2026. Clearly the other 6 teams didn’t have the financials for a full home and away league. An 8 team “National” Second Tier league only from NSW and Victoria would not have worked. People say POMs are whingers but the reality is that Australians are probably the biggest whingers in the world. (I am Australian).
Click to expand...
I agree - the fact that the 8 NST teams have all agreed leads you to think that there is a genuine feeling that this will expand to cover further clubs from other states in the future. Otherwise why would they agree to it.
 
southoftheyarra said:
People don't attend because it isn't in the home and away league format (thats what the majority of people interested wanted), clubs pull out for whatever reason or clubs may not want to participate (costs, season timing, etc), whoever is running the show does a bad job (unfortunately quite likely)...
Click to expand...
We’ll have to agree to disagree.
 
Yep I agree on one thing !
It’s something
It’s better than nothing and hopefully improves grows in time we got to give it a chance And SUPPORT the way I see it.
The cards have fallen.
Got to put where your money is - mine isn’t going to the APL but I’ll drag whoever I can to these games for if we don’t what’s next ?!
We got to accept many fringe clubs can’t go all in half baked to a NST H/A we’d luv but this gives more clubs sometime to build their finances up and grounds.
We’ve all complained enough, I say let’s go.
Won’t mind going to games between Oct to Dec infact I’ll luv it.

Season Timeline: The NST competition will be held annually between October and December, initially across nine matchday rounds, and concluding with a Championship Final in early December. The spring calendar window provides the agility to expand and align within the Domestic Match Calendar ensuring optimal fixturing for players, fans, and stakeholders
 
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