National Team, Asian Competitions and the New A-League Season
Not many Australians may closely follow football or be fully aware of the upcoming fixtures involving the Australian national team, or the domestic and continental commitments of Australian clubs. With that in mind, here is a complete guide to the upcoming schedule and everything you need to know about Australian clubs and national teams.
Australia’s National Team: Preparing for the Asian Cup
The Australian national team has not played a competitive match since being eliminated from the Round of 32 at the last World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, where they were knocked out by Egypt on penalties.
However, during the next international window, Australia are scheduled to play two friendly matches against Brazil. The first will take place at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on September 25, 2026, followed by a second meeting at Suncorp Stadium on September 29.
For Brazil, these matches will mark the beginning of a new phase following the 2026 World Cup. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti has reportedly selected more than 60 players, combining youth and experience, as he looks to assess his options and introduce new talent into the national team ahead of future competitions.
Australia, meanwhile, will view these matches as an important part of their preparations for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, which will take place in January 2027.
Australia have been drawn in Group D, alongside Tajikistan, Iraq, and Singapore. The Socceroos are among the regular contenders for the Asian title and won the competition in 2015. They will be expected to qualify for the knockout stage and will be strong favourites to finish at the top of their group.
Australian Clubs on the Asian Stage
Australian clubs will also have plenty to look forward to, with several teams involved in Asian competitions.
Newcastle Jets
Newcastle Jets, who finished top of the regular-season standings last season, will begin their AFC Champions League Elite campaign with a difficult away fixture against Japanese giants Kashima Antlers on September 15. They will then face another challenging Japanese opponent, Gamba Osaka, on October 13.
These matches will provide a major test for Newcastle, particularly given the quality and experience of Japanese clubs in Asian competition.
Adelaide United
Adelaide United will be one of the Australian teams worth following closely. The club already faced a difficult qualifying match against Vietnamese side Cong An Ha Noi, suffering a 2–0 defeat and missing out on qualification for the league stage of the AFC Champions League Elite.
However, Adelaide’s continental campaign will continue in the AFC Champions League Two, where they have been drawn in Group F of the East region alongside BG Pathum United of Thailand, Lion City Sailors of Singapore, and Tai Po of Hong Kong.
The competition will offer Adelaide a different kind of challenge and an opportunity to test themselves against clubs from across East and Southeast Asia.
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory will also compete in the AFC Champions League Two after being drawn in Group E of the East region.
They will face FC Seoul of South Korea, Thể Công–Viettel of Vietnam, and Persib of Indonesia.
Melbourne Victory will therefore be exposed to several different footballing styles. Asian competition is very different from domestic football, requiring clubs to cope with long-distance travel, different climates, and difficult away matches in front of passionate home crowds.
These continental campaigns are also important from a technical perspective. Australian clubs have traditionally relied heavily on physical strength, pace, and athleticism, but Asian football can force them to deal with teams that excel in possession, tactical organisation, and rapid transitions.
For that reason, these competitions could provide a genuine test of the quality of Australian coaches and players.
The New A-League Season
The new A-League season is scheduled to begin on October 16, with Western Sydney Wanderers taking on Sydney FC in the opening fixture.
The title race appears to be wide open, particularly after last season saw Auckland FC make history by becoming the first New Zealand club to win the A-League title.
Their triumph was one of the most remarkable stories in the history of the competition and demonstrated that the A-League cannot simply be viewed as a championship dominated by a handful of traditional Australian clubs.
As a result, it is difficult to predict the new season as a race between only two or three teams. However, several clubs appear better prepared than others to challenge for the title.
Auckland FC: The Team to Beat
Auckland FC are my leading candidates to win the championship.
The club enters the new season with tremendous confidence after winning the title last year and proving that a relatively new team can compete with and defeat some of Australia’s most established clubs.
However, winning the title can create additional pressure. Defending a championship is often more difficult than winning it for the first time.
Nevertheless, Auckland’s stability, confidence, and experience from last season make them natural favourites to defend their crown.
Sydney FC: Hungry for Redemption
Sydney FC will be one of the strongest challengers.
They reached last season’s Grand Final but lost narrowly to Auckland FC by a single goal. That defeat is likely to provide additional motivation heading into the new campaign.
Sydney have a strong history in the A-League and considerable experience in high-pressure matches. That experience could become particularly important when the title race reaches its decisive stages.
Melbourne City: Potential Dark Horse
Melbourne City are another team I expect to improve significantly this season.
They possess the quality and resources required to challenge for the top positions, while their early-season meeting with Auckland FC could provide an important indication of whether they are ready to compete directly with the defending champions.
If Melbourne City can make a strong start to the campaign, they could quickly establish themselves as one of the main contenders for the title.
Melbourne Victory and Newcastle Jets
Melbourne Victory and Newcastle Jets should not be overlooked either.
Both clubs have the potential to challenge for the higher positions and could even emerge as surprise contenders during the season.
Newcastle Jets, in particular, are worth watching. Having finished at the top of the regular-season standings last year, they could take advantage if some of the more traditional title contenders struggle for consistency.
Adelaide United and Western Sydney Wanderers
Adelaide United and Western Sydney Wanderers appear more likely to compete for playoff positions than to be considered the leading title favourites.
However, the A-League has traditionally been unpredictable, and the gap between fighting for the championship and securing a place in the playoffs can change very quickly over the course of a season.
Final Prediction
Overall, I expect the new A-League season to be much more balanced and competitive than it might appear on paper.
For me, Auckland FC, Sydney FC, Melbourne City, Melbourne Victory, and Newcastle Jets form the leading group of title contenders, although several other clubs will be looking to break into that group and challenge for the championship.
Ultimately, attention will be divided between the domestic A-League title race and the continental adventures of Australian clubs in Asia.
The team that manages to maintain the best balance between domestic success and continental competition could ultimately be the one that enjoys the most successful season.
