The Western Premier League is a regional Australian association football league, comprising teams from the Central West region of New South Wales. The competition is run under the Western NSW Football body, an associate of Football NSW - a member federation of Football Australia. It fits below the national A-League and NSW wide divisions including National Premier Leagues NSW, being level 5 league in the Australian league system.
History The Western Premier League was founded in 1994 as the Central West Soccer League, with East Dubbo United taking out the inaugural championship, defeating Bathurst 75 on penalties 4–3 in the grand final, after the score was locked at 2-all at the end of extra-time.
The competition ran from 1994 until the end of 2012 before collapsing after Westside Panthers and Dubbo Bulls all pulled out in quick succession, leaving just three teams in the competition.Western Premier League's 2020 revival all but confirmed in Western Advocate 2 February 2020 The competition was later revived ahead of the 2020 season, with nine teams initially entering the first WPL season in eight years,Western Premier League officially confirmed to return in 2020 in Western Advocate 17 February 2020 later reduced to seven teams by July when the season commenced after a delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Format As of the 2026 season, the competition consists of six teams from around the Central West region of New South Wales. Each team will play each other three times, to form a 15-round, round robin format. The finals format involves the top four team, played under the Page–McIntyre top four system The grand final to determine the champion will be held at the ground of the major semi-final winner.
Current clubs and location The following clubs will participate in the 2026 Western Premier League:
Club Location Ground Founded Champions Champions years Bathurst 75 Bathurst Proctor Park 1975 8 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2023, 2024 Dubbo Bulls Dubbo Hans Claven OvalVictoria ParkApex Oval 2005 5 2010, 2011, 2012, 2020, 2026 Macquarie United (Dubbo) Dubbo Hans Claven OvalVictoria ParkApex Oval 2013 1 2025 Orange Waratahs Orange Waratah Sports Ground 1967 5 1995, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2022 Panorama Bathurst Proctor Park 2012 0 Parkes Cobras Parkes Woodward OvalHarrison Park 2020 0
Former clubs
Club Location Founded Champions Champions years Current status Barnstoneworth United Orange 1998 0 Orange & District Football Association Bathurst City Red Tops Bathurst 1962 0 Bathurst District Football Bathurst City Colts Bathurst 0 Disbanded Canobolas Rangers Orange 1 1999 Orange & District Football Association Cowra Wildcats Cowra 0 Disbanded East Dubbo United Dubbo 1984 1 1994 Dubbo & District Football Association Lithgow City Rangers Lithgow 1970 0 Bathurst District Football Lithgow Workmen's Lithgow 1982 0 Bathurst District Football Macquarie United (Bathurst) Bathurst 1984 0 Bathurst District Football Mudgee Wolves Mudgee 1991 0 Bathurst District Football Orana Spurs Dubbo 1992 1 2001 Dubbo & District Football Association Orange CYMS Orange 1975 0 Orange & District Football Association Oxford United Bathurst 0 Disbanded SASS Strikers Dubbo 1983 0 Dubbo & District Football Association Westside Panthers Dubbo 1979 3 2004, 2008, 2009 Dubbo & District Football Association Young Rebels Young 0 Disbanded
Grand final results
+Key to list of winners*Match went to extra timeMatch decided via a penalty shoot-out after extra timeWinning team won the Double (Grand final and minor premiership)
+Western Premier League grand finalsSeasonWinnersScoreRunners–upVenueVenue's city/townMinor premiersTeams1994East Dubbo United2–2Bathurst 75Marjorie Jackson OvalLithgow61995Orange Waratahs1–0Canobolas RangersAlec Lamberton FieldBathurst71996Bathurst 753–0Macquarie United (Bathurst)Waratah Sports GroundOrangeBathurst 7561997Bathurst 751–0Orange CYMSAlec Lamberton FieldBathurstBathurst 7561998Bathurst 753–0Orange WaratahsWaratah Sports GroundOrangeBathurst 7571999Canobolas Rangers3–0Orange CYMSJack Brabham ParkOrangeOrange Waratahs82000Orange Waratahs3–1Orange CYMSWaratah Sports GroundOrangeOrange Waratahs82001Orana Spurs2–1East Dubbo UnitedLady Cutler OvalDubboEast Dubbo United82002Bathurst 753–2Westside PanthersLady Cutler OvalDubboWestside Panthers82003Bathurst 750–0Canobolas RangersAlec Lamberton FieldBathurstBathurst 7582004Westside Panthers1–0Bathurst 75Lady Cutler OvalDubboWestside Panthers72005Bathurst 751–0Dubbo BullsAlec Lamberton FieldBathurstBathurst 7562006Orange Waratahs0–0Bathurst 75Alec Lamberton FieldBathurstBathurst 7572007Orange Waratahs1–0Bathurst 75Alec Lamberton FieldBathurstBathurst 7572008Westside Panthers3–3Bathurst 75Lady Cutler OvalDubboWestside Panthers72009Westside Panthers3–3Orange WaratahsJack Brabham ParkOrangeOrange Waratahs62010Dubbo Bulls1–1Orange WaratahsLady Cutler OvalDubboOrange Waratahs62011Dubbo Bulls3–1Westside PanthersLady Cutler OvalDubboDubbo Bulls52012Dubbo Bulls3–1Orange WaratahsWaratah Sports GroundOrangeDubbo Bulls52020Dubbo Bulls2–1Macquarie United (Dubbo)Apex OvalDubboMacquarie United (Dubbo) 7202192022Orange Waratahs2–1PanoramaWaratah Sports GroundOrangeOrange Waratahs112023Bathurst 752–1Barnstoneworth UnitedProctor ParkBathurstBathurst 7582024Bathurst 753–0Dubbo BullsProctor ParkBathurstBathurst 7572025Macquarie United (Dubbo)3–2Bathurst 75Victoria ParkDubboBathurst 7562026Dubbo Bulls2–1Bathurst 75Proctor ParkBathurstBathurst 756
Performance by club
There are seven clubs who have won the Western Premier League title.
Teams in bold compete in the Western Premier League as of the 2022 season.
Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years Bathurst 75 8 6 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2023, 2024 1994, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2025, 2026 Orange Waratahs 5 4 1995, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2022 1998, 2009, 2010 2012 Dubbo Bulls 5 2 2010, 2011, 2012, 2020, 2026 2005, 2024 Westside Panthers 3 2 2004, 2008, 2009 2002, 2011 Canobolas Rangers 1 2 1999 1995, 2003 East Dubbo United 1 1 1994 2001 Macquarie United (Dubbo) 1 1 2025 2020 Orana Spurs 1 0 2001 Orange CYMS 0 3 1997, 1999, 2000 Macquarie United (Bathurst) 0 1 1996 Panorama 0 1 2022 Barnstoneworth United 0 1 2023
Lower grades Reserve Grade
Under 18s
References
External links New South Wales Premier League Oz Football NSW Statistics Western Premier League Dribl Western Premier League Facebook