The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) confirmed on Saturday morning that fixtures will soon be released for a Men's A-League and Women's A-League season without Western United following last Friday's decision by the Supreme Court of Victoria to place the football club and several other companies owned by its controlling consortium into liquidation.
WMG successfully applied for a stay on those orders late that evening, effectively delaying the appointment of liquidators and buying the consortium more time to find financial backing and repay the nearly $15m the group of companies still owe to the Australian Tax Office (ATO).
The liquidation orders followed the APL's decision to strip Western United of its A-Leagues licence due to its ongoing financial troubles, delayed player payments and FIFA transfer window ban.
An appeal on that decision was set to be heard on September 9 following a one-week delay to allow for further submissions from interested parties, and discussions this week have resulted in Western United's licence being placed into what the APL is describing as "a conditional hibernation".
"This decision allows the APL, Western United and all other Clubs to move forward with certainty for Season 2025/26, and provides time for the various appeals to be heard and gives Western United’s owners an ability to rebuild the Club’s financial and operational foundations with a view to re-enter the A-Leagues from Season 2026/27 onwards," the APL said in a media statement.
Chairman Stephen Conroy added on Saturday morning:
"The club needs time to work through these legal and regulatory proceedings and re-establish their financial and operating position, but with the timing and outcome for both up in the air, we need to progress with our plans for season 25/26 without Western United.
“We see great value in the potential of Western United, and the opportunity of having an A-League club in the west of Melbourne - the fastest growing corridor in Australia.
"The Club has had great success on the pitch and their academies are an important pathway for emerging young talent in the Victorian football community - but we need to do what is best for the league, our partners and our other Clubs at this time.
“This is the best path forward for the league, and gives Western United the best opportunity to rejoin the A-Leagues and continue their work in the community.
“We will continue to support the club and ownership group as they work through these next steps and build towards re-entering the A-Leagues from season 2026/27 - if they are successful in their winding-up appeal, meet certain obligations with the APL and satisfy FA Club Licensing Regulations.”
Western United will continue to operate their academy in Tarneit but have otherwise released all players from their men's and women's A-Leagues and NPL squads to allow them to seek employment elsewhere during the current transfer window.
WMG Director Steve Horvat said the club is "aligned" with the APL's decision to place their licence into conditional hibernation and expressed his confidence that the club can be rebuilt in time for a return to 2026/27.
Fixtures for the men's and women's 2025/26 seasons are expected to be released some time next week, with the APL having already been working on a fixture bereft of Western United.
