Football South Australia (FSA) is the governing body of soccer in the state of South Australia. It was established in 2006 under the name Football Federation South Australia (FFSA), which succeeded the former organisation, the South Australian Soccer Federation (SASF).
FSA oversees the highest levels of soccer in South Australia, as well as collaborating with regional competitions and amateur leagues, and organise the Football SA Federation Cup.
History
The first South Australian soccer organisation was the South Australian British Football Association (SABFA), which was founded in 1902. The inaugural official South Australian soccer competition took place in 1903, featuring three teams: North Adelaide, South Adelaide, and Woodville. In 1924, the association's name was changed to the South Australian Soccer Football Association (SASFA).
In 1961, the association split into SASFA and the South Australian Soccer League (SASL), but the following year, merged to form the South Australian Soccer Federation (SASF), which continued to operate until 2006.
In 2006 the Football Federation South Australia (FFSA) was established. In 2020, following the renaming of Football Federation Australia to Football Australia, South Australia's federation adopted the name Football South Australia.
Description and functions Football South Australia is affiliated with Football Australia, the national governing body.
FSA oversees the highest levels of football in South Australia, including the National Premier Leagues South Australia, State League 1 South Australia, and State League 2 South Australia. They also work in conjunction with South Australia's regional competitions and amateur leagues. Many teams from these various leagues participate in the Federation Cup, which determines the South Australian representatives for the Australia Cup.
Football South Australia also manages the Junior Premier League (JPL) and Junior State League (JSL), providing opportunities for teams in age groups ranging from under 6s to under 17s to compete on Sundays.
FSA holds the annual African Nations Cup of South Australia in partnership with the African Communities Council of South Australia, which is held at the ServiceFM Stadium.
National Training Centre
Football SA National Training Centre (NTC) programs "aim is to provide talented boys and girls with the opportunity to develop their skills and ability through a game-related approach to training". The FSA NTC teams have a high turnover owing to their nature as a training team for players, but the women's team reached their first ever grand final in 2023, after beating the Adelaide Comets.
Women's National Premier Leagues South Australia
The Women's National Premier Leagues South Australia (WNPL) represents the second tier of the sport, below A-League Women.
Clubs Men's teams Port Adelaide Pirates are the oldest team still in existence in South Australia, being founded in 1903, and competing in the 1904 season.
In 1933, Birkalla Rovers were founded, which would later amalgamate with a West Torrens team to form West Torrens Birkalla. Alongside Adelaide University, these are the only South Australian clubs with history dating back to before World War II.
Following World War II, Australia was a particular hotspot for immigration by those who had been displaced by the war. These immigrants would found multiple clubs that have survived to the current day: Juventus in 1946, Beograd in 1949, Polonia in 1950, Croatia in 1952, Napoli in 1958 and Hellas in 1962. Other notable clubs founded during this period, now defunct, are: Burnside Budapest, which later merged with Campbelltown City to become Campbelltown Budapest; and Ukrainian SC Lion, which later merged with Port Adelaide to become Port Adelaide Lion, and now continue to participate in the South Australian Amateur Soccer League.
Adelaide City are the most successful club in history, having won 3 National Soccer League championships, 19 first division championships and 18 Federation Cups. Clubs can apply to enter the State League 2 competitions when a space is available, with the team being in one of the regional leagues or the amateur league.
The most recent teams to have joined being Pontian Eagles in 2020, Modbury Vista in 2017, Fulham United and Vipers FC both in 2016, the latter two having won promotion to State League 1.
2026 Season National Premier Leagues South Australia Team Suburb Home Ground Founded Joined Chmp Prem Cup Head coach Adelaide City Oakden Adelaide City Park 1946 1946Paul Pezos Adelaide Comets Gepps Cross ServiceFM Stadium 1994 20060George Tsonis Adelaide United Youth Gepps Cross ServiceFM Stadium 2008 20150N/AAirton Andrioli Campbelltown City Newton Steve Woodcock Sports Centre 1963 1964Michael Matricciani Croydon FC Regency Park Regency Oval 1950 1952Travis Dodd FK Beograd Woodville West Frank Mitchell Park 1949 1950Joshua Smith North Eastern MetroStars Klemzig T.K. Shutter Reserve 1994 1999Danny Graystone Para Hills Knights Para Hills West The Paddocks 1964 1966000Theo Tsiounis Playford City Patriots Edinburgh North Ramsay Park 1956 195800Ben Moore Sturt Lions Eden Hills Karinya Reserve 2003 2011000Lino Fusco West Adelaide West Beach West Beach Parks Football Centre 1962 1963Jim Tsekinis West Torrens Birkalla Novar Gardens Jack Smith Park 1933 1933Daniel Paterson
State League One South Australia Team Suburb Home Ground Founded Joined Chmp Prem Cup Head coach Adelaide Atletico Blair Athol Rushworth Reserve 2006 2015000Rick Cerracchio Adelaide Blue Eagles Marden Marden Sports Complex 1958 1959Andrej Rastovac Adelaide Cobras Plympton Pro Paint and Panel Oval 1972 1989000Robbie Ditroia Adelaide Croatia Raiders Gepps Cross Croatian Sports Centre 1952 1953Vlado Blazeka Adelaide Olympic Angle Park APEX Football Stadium 1978 198100Andrew Calderbank Cove FC Trott Park Southern Sports Facility 1983 2009000Matt Pethick Cumberland United Clarence Gardens A.A. Bailey Reserve 1943 19430Terry Westwood Eastern United Athelstone Athelstone Recreation Reserve 2013 2013000Gabriel Markaj Fulham United West Beach West Beach Parks Football Centre 1970 2016000Tony Galanopoulos Modbury Jets Ridgehaven Smith Partners Stadium 1965 196600Maurice Natale South Adelaide Panthers O'Sullivan Beach O'Sullivan Beach Sports Complex 1997 1999000Anthony Rideout Salisbury United Burton Steve Jarvis Park 1954 195500Matt Gaston
State League Two South Australia – North and South Team Suburb Home Ground Founded Joined Chmp Prem Cup Head coach Adelaide Hills Hawks Woodside Hawks Nest 1991 1998000Tommy Peak Adelaide Titans West Beach West Beach Parks Football Centre 2004 2025000Daniel Paterson Adelaide University North Adelaide University Oval 1935 - 000Valentino Esposito Angle Vale SC Angle Vale Angle Vale Community Sports Center 1986 2026000Aiden Oliver Barossa United SC Nuriootpa Hoffman Oval 1989 2026000Mike Cawood Elizabeth Downs SC Elizabeth Downs Argana Park 1962 2026000Michael McGiven Elizabeth Grove SC Elizabeth North Dauntsey Reserve 1963 2025000Luke Hall Gawler Eagles Evanston Gardens Karbeethan Reserve 1978 2006000Terry Frangakis Ghan United Ferryden Park Ferryden Park Reserve 2012 2025000Rahim Shah Zaidi Modbury Vista Wynn Vale Newspot Stadium 1969 2017000Nigel Gill Mount Barker United Mount Barker Summit Sport and Recreation Park 1982 2016000Domenico Barilla Noarlunga United Morphett Vale Wilfred Taylor Reserve 1963 2007000Garth Thompson Northern Demons Port Pirie Byrne Park 1951 1999000Greg Joy Plympton Bulldogs Novar Gardens Jack Smith Park 2026000Giorgio Germanis Pontian Eagles Paralowie Yalumba Drive Reserve 1992 2020000Omar Hussain Port Adelaide Pirates Taperoo Ngarrpadla Josie Agius Reserve 1903 1904Terry Westwood Salisbury Inter Salisbury North Underdown Park 1966 2025000Peter Capone Seaford Rangers Port Noarlunga South Karingal Reserve 1974 1978000Andrew Calderbank Vipers FC St. Clair Evian Football Park 2006 2016000Dimitri Panagis Western Strikers Royal Park Carnegie South Reserve 1980 200600Robbie Ditrioa
Women's teams 2026 Season Women's National Premier Leagues South Australia Team Suburb Home Ground Founded Joined Cup Head coach Adelaide City Oakden Adelaide City Park Tiarn Powell Adelaide Comets Gepps Cross ServiceFM Stadium 0 Tom Monsigneur Adelaide University Gepps Cross ServiceFM Stadium 0Tony Sacca Flinders United St Marys Women's Memorial Playing Field 000Joel PorterFootball SA NTC Gepps Cross ServiceFM Stadium 000Michele Lastella Fulham United West Beach West Beach Parks Football Centre 0 North Eastern MetroStars Klemzig T.K. Shutter Reserve Paul Morris Salisbury Inter Salisbury North Underdown Park Tony Scalzi West Adelaide West Beach West Beach Parks Football Centre Tracey Jenkins West Torrens Birkalla Novar Gardens Jack Smith Park 00Chris Goddard
Women's State League South Australia Team Suburb Home Ground Founded Joined Cup Head coach Adelaide Hills Hawks Woodside Hawks Nest 000Luke Hancock Adelaide Jaguars West Beach West Beach Parks Football Centre 000Matthew Wardhaugh Campbelltown City Newton Steve Woodcock Sports Centre 000Vince Pagnozzi Croydon FC Regency Park Regency Oval 000Mario Catalano Elizabeth Grove Elizabeth North Dauntsey Reserve 000Robert Dawber Modbury Jets Ridgehaven Smith Partners Stadium 0Luigi Pavia Modbury Vista Wynn Vale Newspot Stadium 00Duncan Soang South Adelaide Panthers O'Sullivan Beach O'Sullivan Beach Sports Complex 000Daniel Milovanovic Sturt Lions Eden Hills Karinya Reserve 000Nic Whiteside The Cove Marion Club Marion 000Carlos Carvo
League system
The soccer pyramid in South Australia comprises 4 levels below the A-League Men, with promotion and relegation between the top 3 levels. It also includes the South Australian Amateur Soccer League, which is not officially a part of the league system.
Men's pyramid LevelLeaguesNationalState2 1National Premier Leagues South Australia12 clubsno promotion, ↓ relegate 23 2State League 1 South Australia12 clubs↑ promote 2, ↓ relegate 24 3State League 2 South Australia North10 clubs↑ promote 0–2, no relegationState League 2 South Australia South10 clubs↑ promote 0–2, no relegation5 4South Australian Regional Leagues12 divisionsno promotion
Women's pyramid LevelLeaguesNationalState2 1Women's National Premier Leagues South Australia10 clubsno promotion, ↓ relegate 1.53 2Women's State League South Australia8 clubs↑ promote 1.5, no relegation— —Women's Community Leagues South Australia7 divisionsno promotionCommunity Division 110 teamsCommunity Division 211 teamsCommunity Division 310 teamsCommunity Division 4 North9 teamsCommunity Division 4 South10 teamsCommunity Division 5 North11 teamsCommunity Division 5 South9 teams
Season winners