The Australian men's soccer champions are the winners of the highest league in Australian men's soccer. The men's national championship was contested in the National Soccer League from 1977 to 2003–04, in the A-League from 2005–06 to 2020–21, and in the A-League Men since 2021–22.
Eastern Suburbs, now Hakoah Sydney City East, were the first men's national champions after winning the inaugural 1977 National Soccer League season.
As is the case in most Australian sports, the winners of a post-season playoffs competition, known as the Finals, has traditionally been crowned champion, unlike the first-past-the-post system used in many other countries. The team that finished first-past-the-post was often referred to as the Minor Premiers while the Finals winning team was awarded the Premiership. In an attempt to create more prestige around the first-past-the-post title, it was renamed the Premiership and the finals winning team is now awarded the Championship. The 2025–26 season is the 49th season of national level men's soccer in Australia.
Background In 1977, the Australian Soccer Association established the National Soccer League (NSL) of Australia, which included teams from Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney. The competition ran a promotion-relegation system for its entire lifespan as well as a knockout cup competition.
For the first seven seasons, the NSL awarded the championship to the team that finished first-past-the-post and was dominated by Sydney-based teams. By the mid-80s, the league had introduced a post-season playoffs competition that would crown the champions and the title was shared more evenly around the nation. Seasons initially ran over the winter months until 1989 when it was changed to the summer months to avoid conflicts with Australian rules football and the two rugby codes. By 2000, each major capital city had secured at least one NSL title outside of Perth. The Perth Glory made history in 2002–03 when they were crowned champions and the victory meant the five major cities of Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney had all secured at least one NSL title over the duration of the league's history.
The National Soccer League was disbanded in 2004 and an 8-team A-League competition was established in 2005, which included a salary cap and no promotion-relegation. Adelaide, Newcastle and Perth were the only NSL teams retained in the new competition. It included one team from each of the major capital cities, two regional teams and a team from New Zealand. As is the case in many sporting leagues in Australia, a New Zealand-based team has been allowed entry into the top tiered Australian league since 1999. The decision to retain a New Zealand-based team in the top league has proved problematic in recent years due to Football Federation Australia's decision to move from the Oceania Football Confederation to the Asian Football Confederation in 2006. As a result, a New Zealand-based team can be crowned Premiers and/or Champions of Australia but is ineligible to compete in the Asian Champions League.Phoenix seek Champions League resolution
Lists of champions + Championship determinationSeason(s)Format1977 to 1983First placed team1984 to 1986Grand Final winning team1987First placed team1988 onwardsGrand Final winning team
National Soccer League (1977–2004) SeasonChampions (number of titles)ScoreRunners-upWinning head coachSeason top goalscorer1977Eastern Suburbs—Marconi Fairfield Gerry Chaldi John Deans (16)(Adelaide City)1978West Adelaide—Eastern Suburbs Billy Birch Ken Boden (14)(Newcastle KB United) Clive Eaton (14)(Western Suburbs)1979Marconi Fairfield—Heidelberg United Les Scheinflug Mark Jankovics (18)(Marconi Fairfield)1980Sydney City (2)—Heidelberg United Eddie Thomson Gary Cole (21)(Heidelberg United)1981Sydney City (3)—South Melbourne Eddie Thomson Gary Cole (16)(Heidelberg United)1982Sydney City (4)—St George-Budapest Eddie Thomson John Kosmina (23)(Sydney City)1983St George-Budapest—Sydney City Frank Arok Duggie Brown (16)(South Melbourne)1984South Melbourne2–12–1Sydney Olympic Len McKendry Duggie Brown (22)(South Melbourne)1985Brunswick Juventus1–01–0Sydney City John Margaritis Duggie Brown (22)(South Melbourne)1986Adelaide City0–13–1Sydney Olympic Zoran Matić Graham Arnold (17)(Sydney Croatia)1987APIA Leichhardt—Preston Makedonia Rale Rasic Frank Farina (16)(Marconi Fairfield)1988Marconi Fairfield (2)2–2 Sydney Croatia Berti Mariani Frank Farina (17)(Marconi Fairfield)1989Marconi Fairfield (3)1–0Sydney Olympic Berti Mariani Zlatko Nastevski (22)(Marconi Fairfield)1989–90Sydney Olympic2–0Marconi Fairfield Mick Hickman David Seal (15)(Sydney Croatia)1990–91South Melbourne (2)1–1 Melbourne Croatia Ferenc Puskás David Seal (19)(Marconi Fairfield)1991–92Adelaide City (2)0–0 Melbourne Croatia Zoran Matić1992–93Marconi Fairfield (4)1–0Adelaide City Frank Arok Francis Awaritefe (18)(South Melbourne)1993–94Adelaide City (3)1–0Melbourne Knights Zoran Matić1994–95Melbourne Knights2–0Adelaide City Mirko Bazić Mark Viduka (18)(Melbourne Knights)1995–96Melbourne Knights (2)2–1Marconi Fairfield Mirko Bazić Damian Mori (31)(Adelaide City)1996–97Brisbane Strikers2–0Sydney United Frank Farina David Zdrilic (21)(Sydney United)1997–98South Melbourne (3)2–1Carlton Ange Postecoglou Damian Mori (19)(Adelaide City)1998–99South Melbourne (4)3–2Sydney United Ange Postecoglou Pablo Cardozo (18)(Sydney Olympic)1999–2000Wollongong Wolves3–3 Perth Glory Nick Theodorakopoulos Damian Mori (22)(Adelaide City Force)2000–01Wollongong Wolves (2)2–1South Melbourne Ron Corry Sasho Petrovski (18)(Wollongong Wolves) Damian Mori (18)(Perth Glory)2001–02Sydney Olympic (2)1–0Perth Glory Gary Phillips2002–03Perth Glory2–0Olympic Sharks Mich d'Avray Damian Mori (24)(Perth Glory)2003–04Perth Glory (2)1–0 Parramatta Power Mich d'Avray Ante Milicic (20)(Parramatta Power)
A-League / A-League Men (2005–present) SeasonChampions (number of titles)ScoreRunners-upWinning head coachSeason top goalscorer2005–06Sydney FC1–0Central Coast Mariners Pierre Littbarski Alex Brosque (8)(Brisbane Roar) Bobby Despotovski (8)(Perth Glory) Archie Thompson (8)(Melbourne Victory) Stewart Petrie (8)(Central Coast Mariners)2006–07Melbourne Victory6–0Adelaide United Ernie Merrick Archie Thompson (15)(Melbourne Victory)2007–08Newcastle Jets1–0Central Coast Mariners Gary van Egmond Joel Griffiths (12)(Newcastle Jets)2008–09Melbourne Victory (2)1–0Adelaide United Ernie Merrick Shane Smeltz (12)(Wellington Phoenix)2009–10Sydney FC (2)1–1 Melbourne Victory Vítězslav Lavička Shane Smeltz (19)(Gold Coast United)2010–11Brisbane Roar2–2 Central Coast Mariners Ange Postecoglou Sergio van Dijk (16)(Adelaide United)2011–12Brisbane Roar (2)2–1Perth Glory Ange Postecoglou Besart Berisha (19)(Brisbane Roar)2012–13Central Coast Mariners2–0Western Sydney Wanderers Graham Arnold Daniel McBreen (17)(Central Coast Mariners)2013–14Brisbane Roar (3)2–1 Western Sydney Wanderers Mike Mulvey Adam Taggart (16)(Newcastle Jets)2014–15Melbourne Victory (3)3–0Sydney FC Kevin Muscat Marc Janko (16)(Sydney FC)2015–16Adelaide United3–1Western Sydney Wanderers Guillermo Amor Bruno Fornaroli (23)(Melbourne City)2016–17Sydney FC (3)1–1 Melbourne Victory Graham Arnold Besart Berisha (19)(Melbourne Victory) Jamie Maclaren (19)(Brisbane Roar)2017–18Melbourne Victory (4)1–0Newcastle Jets Kevin Muscat Bobô (27)(Sydney FC)2018–19Sydney FC (4)0–0 Perth Glory Steve Corica Roy Krishna (18)(Wellington Phoenix)2019–20Sydney FC (5)1–0 Melbourne City Steve Corica Jamie Maclaren (23)(Melbourne City)2020–21Melbourne City3–1Sydney FC Patrick Kisnorbo Jamie Maclaren (25)(Melbourne City)2021–22Western United2–0Melbourne City John Aloisi Jamie Maclaren (15)(Melbourne City)2022–23Central Coast Mariners (2)6–1Melbourne City Nick Montgomery Jamie Maclaren (24)(Melbourne City)2023–24Central Coast Mariners (3)3–1 Melbourne Victory Mark Jackson Adam Taggart (20)(Perth Glory)2024–25Melbourne City (2)1–0Melbourne Victory Aurelio Vidmar Archie Goodwin (13)(Adelaide United) Adrian Segecic (13)(Sydney FC)2025–26 Auckland FC1–0Sydney FC Steve Corica Sam Cosgrove (11)(Auckland FC) Luka Jovanovic (11)(Adelaide United)
Total championships won There are 22 clubs who have won an Australian championship (either by winning the grand final or finishing top of the league in the seasons without a grand final), including nine that have won the A-League/A-League Men (2005–present). The most recent clubs to win their inaugural championship were Auckland FC (2025–26 champions), Western United (2021–22), Melbourne City (2020–21) and Adelaide United (2015–16).
Six teams have finished as runners-up without ever winning the championship: Heidelberg United (1979, 1980), Preston Lions (1987), Sydney United 58 (1988, 1996–97, 1998–99), Carlton (1997–98), Parramatta Power (2003–04) and Western Sydney Wanderers (2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16).
Teams in bold compete in the A-League Men as of the 2025–26 season.
Club Winners Runners-up Winning seasonsSydney FC532005–06, 2009–10, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2019–20Melbourne Victory442006–07, 2008–09, 2014–15, 2017–18 Hakoah Sydney City East31977, 1980, 1981, 1982Marconi Stallions1979, 1988, 1989, 1992–93South Melbourne21984, 1990–91, 1997–98, 1998–99Central Coast Mariners332012–13, 2022–23, 2023–24Adelaide City21986, 1991–92, 1993–94Brisbane Roar02010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14Sydney Olympic241989–90, 2001–02Perth Glory2002–03, 2003–04Melbourne Knights31994–95, 1995–96Melbourne City2020–21, 2024–25Wollongong Wolves01999–2000, 2000–01Adelaide United122015–16St George11983Newcastle Jets2007–08West Adelaide01978Brunswick Juventus1985APIA Leichhardt1987Brisbane Strikers1996–97Western United2021–22 Auckland FC2025–26
By city City Championships ClubsSydney17Sydney FC (5), Hakoah Sydney City East (4), Marconi Stallions (4), Sydney Olympic (2), St George (1), APIA Leichhardt (1)Melbourne14South Melbourne (4), Melbourne Victory (4), Melbourne Knights (2), Melbourne City (2), Brunswick Juventus (1), Western United (1)Adelaide5Adelaide City (3), West Adelaide (1), Adelaide United (1)Brisbane4Brisbane Roar (3), Brisbane Strikers (1)Gosford3Central Coast Mariners (3)Perth2Perth Glory (2)Wollongong2Wollongong Wolves (2)Newcastle1Newcastle Jets (1) Auckland1Auckland FC (1)
Australian soccer champions map
Lists of premiers
National Soccer League (1977–2004) SeasonPremiers (number of titles)1984Sydney City1985Sydney City (2)1986Sydney United1988Wollongong Wolves1989Marconi Fairfield1989–90Marconi Fairfield (2)1990–91Melbourne Knights1991–92Melbourne Knights (2)1992–93South Melbourne1993–94Melbourne Knights (3)1994–95Melbourne Knights (4)1995–96Marconi Fairfield (3)1996–97Sydney United (2)1997–98South Melbourne (2)1998–99Sydney United (3)1999–2000Perth Glory2000–01South Melbourne (3)2001–02Perth Glory (2)2002–03Sydney Olympic2003–04Perth Glory (3)
A-League / A-League Men (2005–present) SeasonPremiers (number of titles)2005–06Adelaide United2006–07Melbourne Victory2007–08Central Coast Mariners2008–09Melbourne Victory (2)2009–10Sydney FC2010–11Brisbane Roar2011–12Central Coast Mariners (2)2012–13Western Sydney Wanderers2013–14Brisbane Roar (2)2014–15Melbourne Victory (3)2015–16Adelaide United (2)2016–17Sydney FC (2)2017–18Sydney FC (3)2018–19Perth Glory (4)2019–20Sydney FC (4)2020–21Melbourne City2021–22Melbourne City (2)2022–23Melbourne City (3)2023–24Central Coast Mariners (3)2024–25 Auckland FC2025–26Newcastle Jets
Total Premierships won Teams in bold compete in the A-League Men as of the 2025–26 season.