UPDATE:
The APL have announced that the A-League Women will have a full home and away season from the 2023/24 season, with 22 rounds. The Central Coast Mariners have been granted a licence and they will compete in the competition from 2023.
Football Australia have released the domestic match calendar for the 2022/23 seasons, with a number of crucial details including A-Leagues season dates, NPL season dates and potential National Second Division dates.
- Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s 2022/23 Regular Season to commence from Friday, 7 October 2022, with the 2023 Grand Final to be contested on the weekend of 26-27 May 2023
- Liberty A-League Women’s 2022/23 Regular Season to commence from Friday, 18 November 2022, with the 2023 Grand Final to be contested on the weekend of 29-30 April 2023
- Final match of the DMC 2022/23 to feature the 2023 Australia Cup Final on Saturday, 7 October 2023
- National Premier Leagues 2023 Seasons to commence from Saturday, 4 February 2023 (men’s) and Saturday, 11 February 2023 (women’s) respectively
- Placeholder between March 2023 and September 2023 included for establishment of new National Second Tier competition (men’s)
- Player welfare windows included in both men’s and women’s calendars to ensure players can obtain rest/annual leave between seasons/elite football commitments
Football Australia in the past have stated their desire for a National Second Division to take place from 2023.
International windows will be observed by the A-Leagues, with the A-League Men and Women seasons to go on pause when the Australian senior national teams are in action.
The A-League Men season will also take a break for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar from the 21st of November to the 16th of December.
“With the Domestic Match Calendar 2022/23 now finalised, staff at Member Federations, the APL, and Football Australia, as well as clubs within the Australian football ecosystem, can more thoroughly plan their activities for the period from 7 October 2022 and 7 October 2023,” Football Australia CEO James Johnson said.
“There are many major milestones that the game can capitalise on over the next 12-to-18 months, with the tailwinds of Australia’s participation at this year’s FIFA World Cup™ in Qatar, and co-hosting of next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup™, to help underpin interest in the A-Leagues, NPL competitions, and the Australia Cup.”
“With clear windows for match activity now set, we can work collaboratively on maximising the opportunities that exist within player pathways, as well as think and act strategically about the promotion of the sport, ensuring that each area of the game has the best possible opportunity to engage fans, sponsors, and audiences both domestically and internationally.”
“Pleasingly, we will see a significant amount of Australia Cup football prior to the commencement of the A-League Men season in early October. This could see our domestically-based Socceroos players being exposed to a good amount of competitive football prior to the FIFA World Cup™ in Qatar.”
“It has taken a collaborative, team effort to finalise the DMC 2022/23, and we acknowledge stakeholders from across the game for contributing to this important piece of work,” Johnson concluded.
Images Supplied: Football Australia
