The Australian Championship is Football Australia's (FA) baby step towards a long-awaited permanent national second division and will involve 16 clubs from around the country playing in a group stage+knockout format with four groups of four.
It will carry forth the momentum of the 2025 Australia Cup which saw Victoria NPL clubs Avondale FC and Heidelberg United reach the semi-finals of the competition, with the latter to 'host' Newcastle Jets in the final at Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne next month.
SBS has agreed to carry all 55 matches of the competition across their various platforms, beginning with the opening game of the Championship between South Melbourne and Sydney Olympic on Friday 10 October.
Saturday double-headers will air on the main SBS TV channel at 1pm and 3pm AEST for each round as well as the quarter-finals stage, with the remainder of the group stage fixtures (all 1pm AEST) to be carried on its 'SBS On Demand' streaming service.
“Our partnership with SBS is a landmark moment for Australian football and the Australian Championship," said FA interim CEO Heather Garriock.
“Accessibility sits at the heart of this agreement. Whether you’re watching on free-to-air television or streaming on SBS On Demand, every fan—from the city to our local football communities—can experience the very best of the Australian Championship through our Super Saturday format.
“The historic opening clash between South Melbourne FC and Sydney Olympic FC is a fitting way to launch this competition—two iconic clubs, a national audience, and the country watching via VICELAND. It’s going to be a blockbuster start to the next era of Australian football."
2025 Australian Championship groups
Group A: Broadmeadow Magic (NSW), Moreton City Excelsior (QLD), South Melbourne (VIC), Sydney Olympic (NSW)
Group B: Heidelberg United (VIC), Marconi Stallions (NSW), South Hobart (TAS), Wollongong Wolves (NSW)
Group C: Avondale FC (VIC), Canberra Croatia (ACT), NWS Spirit (NSW), Preston Lions (VIC)
Group D: APIA Leichhardt (NSW), Bayswater City (WA) North Eastern MetroStars (SA), Sydney United 58 (NSW)
