The 2026/27 Ninja A-League season has arrived, with the new campaign kicking off with a triple treat of Saturday fixtures.
With so much to catch up on ahead of the new season, read on as aleagues.com.au brings you up to speed with key storylines, derby dates, full squad lists, broadcast information, membership and ticket details and everything in between.
What are the key season dates?
The Ninja A-League season will kick off on Saturday, October 17, with clubs playing 20 home-and-away matches across 22 matchweeks (two byes per team). The final weekend of the home-and-away season is April 10-11.
An international break falls between the end of the regular season and finals, with the Finals Series starting on the weekend of April 24-25, with the Ninja A-League Grand Final set for May 15-16, 2027.
In 2026-27, the Ninja A-League will feature 11 teams, the same as last season.
Get ready for Matchweek 1
Matchweek 1 kicks off on Saturday afternoon with two games kicking off at 3pm AEDT as Newcastle Jets host Perth Glory at Hunter City Motor Group Stadium in Weston, NSW while Western Sydney Wanderers host Melbourne Victory at Wanderers Football Park in Rooty Hill.
Brisbane Roar then play at 5pm AEDT (4pm AEST) at home to Central Coast Mariners, at Gioca Stadium, the new name for Spencer Park in Newmarket.
Sunday starts with a 10:15am AEDT (12:15pm NZDT) kick-off as Wellington Phoenix host Melbourne City. The matchweek concludes with a 4:30pm AEDT kick-off between Sydney FC and Adelaide United at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre.
Canberra United have the bye in Matchweek 1.
The Finals Series
The 2027 Finals Series will follow last season’s format with two Elimination Finals – the two winners advancing to a two-legged Semi-Final against the top two sides, with the winners qualifying for the Grand Final.
The Ninja A-League 2027 Finals Series will kick off with two Elimination Finals on the weekend of April 24-25.
The two-legged Semi-Finals are scheduled for May 1-2 and May 8-9, with the Grand Final set to be staged between May 15-16, 2027.
Week 1: Elimination Finals (April 24-25 2027)
3rd Place (Home) vs 6th Place (Away)
4th Place (Home) vs 5th Place (Away)
Week 2: Semi-Finals leg 1 (May 1-2 2027)
1st Place vs Lowest Place EF Winner (4th, 5th or 6th on ladder)
2nd Place vs Highest Place EF Winner Match (3rd, 4th or 5th on ladder)
Week 3: Semi-Finals leg 2 (May 8-9 2027)
1st Place vs Lowest Place EF Winner (4th, 5th or 6th on ladder)
2nd Place vs Highest Place EF Winner Match (3rd, 4th or 5th on ladder)
Week 4: Grand Final (May 15-16 2027)
SF winner v SF winner (Highest Placed Team is the Grand Final Host)
Derby dates and other notable fixtures
Keep these dates circled in your calendars, with blockbuster fixtures adding to the excitement of the 2026-27 campaign.
Sydney Derbies (Sydney FC v Western Sydney Wanderers)
- Saturday, January 30 @ Commbank Stadium
- Sunday, April 4 @ WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Melbourne Derbies (Melbourne City v Melbourne Victory)
- Saturday, December 19 @ AAMI Park
- Sunday, February 21 @ Home of the Matildas
F3 Derbies (Central Coast Mariners v Newcastle Jets)
- Saturday, November 7 @ polytec Stadium
- Sunday, February 7 @ Hunter City Motor Group Stadium
Original Rivalry (Adelaide United v Melbourne Victory)
- Saturday, November 14 @ Home of the Matildas
- Saturday, February 6 @ Coopers Stadium
Big Blue (Melbourne Victory v Sydney FC)
- Sunday, January 23 @ Home of the Matildas
- Saturday, April 10 @ AAMI Park
Grand Final Rematch (Melbourne City v Wellington Phoenix)
- Sunday, October 18 @ Hnry Stadium
- Sunday, January 24 @ ctrl:cyber Pitch
Other Notable Matches…
- Canberra United’s first home game – Canberra United v Western Sydney Wanderers, Sunday November 1, McKellar Park
- Central Coast Mariners’ first home game – Central Coast Mariners v Canberra United, Saturday October 24, polytec Stadium
- Adelaide United’s first home game – Adelaide United v Perth Glory, Saturday October 24, ServiceFM Stadium
- Melbourne Victory’s first home game – Melbourne Victory v Newcastle Jets, Saturday November 1, AAMI Park
- Perth Glory’s first home game – Perth Glory v Wellington Phoenix, Saturday November 1, HBF Park
- Melbourne City’s first home game – Melbourne City v Newcastle Jets, Saturday November 14, ctrl:cyber Pitch
- First game in Wollongong for four years – Sydney FC v Central Coast Mariners, Sunday December 20, WIN Stadium
- Newcastle Jets’ first game at Maitland – Newcastle Jets v Melbourne City, Saturday January 10, Maitland Sports Ground
- Brisbane Roar’s first game at Redcliffe – Brisbane Roar v Melbourne City, Saturday November 21, Kayo Stadium
- Cortnee Vine’s return to Sydney FC – Sydney FC v Melbourne City, Sunday October 25, Allianz Stadium
- Tameka Yallop’s return to Brisbane – Brisbane Roar v Wellington Phoenix, Friday March 19, Gioca Stadium
- Waitangi Day – Wellington Phoenix v Western Sydney Wanderers, Saturday February 6, One New Zealand Stadium (Christchurch / Ōtautahi)
- New Year’s Eve – Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne City, Thursday December 31, polytec Stadium
How can I watch the Ninja A-League?
Paramount Australia remains the exclusive home of Australian football for the 2026/27
season with football fans across Australia able to enjoy access to a mountain of
football with every single Ninja A-League match available to stream live on Paramount+.
For New Zealand fans, Sky remains the exclusive home of the Ninja A-League Women.
For season 206/27, matches will broadcast live on Sky Sport, Sky Sport Now and Sky
Go, and selected A-Leagues games will be available to watch free-to-air on Sky Open.
This season, select Ninja A-League matches will be broadcast live and free on
10 Drama. Minis, highlights and replays are also available to stream exclusively on
Paramount+. In New Zealand, matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sport, Sky Sport Now
and Sky Go, with select games available to watch free-to-air on Sky Open.
How can I become a member and buy tickets?
If you are looking to buy regular season tickets for A-Leagues matches you should always buy them directly from A-Leagues Clubs.
You can purchase tickets safely from official Club websites or ticket offices linked here for the Ninja A-League Women’s competition.
Clubs will also provide details of any authorised ticket partners on their official site.
CLICK HERE to visit the Ninja A-League ticket hub
You can also become a member by visiting the A-Leagues Membership Hub!
Click here for information on every club’s membership packs and options for the 2026-27 campaign.
Visit the A-Leagues Membership Hub
What happened in the transfer window?
There has been a flurry of transfer activity across the Ninja A-League, with some clubs needing to replenish their stocks and others adding just a handful of key players while retaining many returning talents.
Read on for all the arrivals and departures.
Arrivals
Adelaide United: Claudia Cicco, Tessa Salvestrin, Tianna Harris, Bella Yakel, India Breier, Kiera Meyers
Brisbane Roar: Isabel Hodgson, Katrina Guillou, Abby Smothers, Natalie Tathem, Annabel Martin, Murphy Agnew, Lily Punch, Hali Long, Emily Roach, Maja Markovski, Rosie Curtis
Canberra United: Madison Ayson, Sarah Morgan, Zoe Tolland, Kelli Brown, Caley Tallon-Henniker, Tehya Aspland, Emily Condon
Central Coast Mariners: Danika Matos, Skye Halmarick, Morgan Aquino, Talia Kapetanellis, Te Reremoana Walker, Charlotte Lancaster, Alexia Karrys-Stahl, Kiara De Domizio, Rebecca Lake, Fiorina Iaria
Melbourne City: Cortnee Vine, Melina Ayres, Avaani Prakash, Taylor Ray, Aimee Medwin, Jessika Nash, Momo Hayashi, Kelli McGroarty
Melbourne Victory: Angie Beard, Ayana Aoyagi, Alicia Woods, Sophie Harding, Skye Leach
Newcastle Jets: Chloe Walandouw, Claire Henninger, Akeisha Sandhu, Poppie Hooks, Aaliyah Kilroy, Tamar Levin, Mackenzie Preston-Poole, Alex Klos, Cameron Valladares, Allie Thornton
Perth Glory: Maggie Jenkins, Ella Buchanan, Baxter Thew, Sakura Leong, Daisy McGreadie-Cole, Theodora Mouithys, Hayley Muir
Sydney FC: Charlotte McLean, Amy Chessari, Faith Webber, Jada Taylor, Poppy Channing, Abbie Puckett, Riley Cohn (nee Tanner), Jada Whyman, Kenzie Roling, Kiley Dulaney, Olivia Price, Josie Wilson, Poppy Tay, Lauren Nada, Chelsea McCredie, Asha Sutton
Wellington Phoenix: Kam Pickett, Abby Erceg, Tameka Yallop, Indiah-Paige Riley, Milly Clegg, Alyssha Eglinton
Western Sydney Wanderers: Tiana Jaber, Tegan Bertolissio, Samantha Iredale, Sarah Langman, Rhianna Pollicina, Silje Bjørneboe, Estelle Fragale, Isabella Chidiac, Carleigh Frilles, Sofia Sakalis, Sofia Palywoda, Elexa Bahr, Laura Pickett
Departures
Adelaide United: Isabel Hodgson, Ella Tonkin, Erin Healy, Matilda McNamara, Dylan Holmes, Zoe Tolland, Emily Condon, Sarah Morgan, Katie Bowler
Brisbane Roar: Bente Jansen, Ava Piazza, Kyla Hanson, Tameka Yallop, Kiera Meyers, Aimee Medwin, Alicia Woods, Marianna Seidl, Ashlyn Miller, Momo Hayashi, Angie Beard
Canberra United: Emma Hawkins, Tegan Bertolissio, Josie Aulicino, Mary Stanic-Floody, Kiara De Domizio
Central Coast Mariners: Isabel Gomez, Avaani Prakash, Sarah Langman, Annabel Martin, Tamar Levin, Millie Farrow, Blake Hughes
Melbourne City: Holly McNamara, Bryleeh Henry, Alexia Apostolakis, Laura Hughes, Ayana Aoyagi, Caitlin Karic, Chinaza Uchendu, Ellie Wilson, Leah Davidson, Taylor Otto, Leticia McKenna
Melbourne Victory: Rachel Lowe, Kennedy White, Payton Woodward, Natalie Picak, Taylor Ray, Rhianna Policina, Rosie Curtis, Sofia Sakallis, Laura Pickett
Newcastle Jets: Claudia Cicco, Josie Wilson, Olivia Page, India Breier, Haley Johnson, Charlotte Lancaster, Melina Ayres, Anna Leat, Kelli Brown, Lauren Allan, Sophie Hoban
Perth Glory: Ischia Brooking, Naomi Chinnama, Gabby Hollar, Tanika Lala, Sarah O’Donoghue, Natalie Tathem, Grace Johnston, Tijan McKenna
Sydney FC: Tori Tumeth, Mackenzie Hawkesby, Heather Hinz, Skye Halmarick, Madison Ayson, Abbey Lemon, Caley Tallon-Henniker, Sofia Fante
Wellington Phoenix: Lucía León, Emma Pijnenburg, Tessel Middag, Ella McMillan, Ela Jerez, Tiana Jaber, Lara Wall, Daisy Brazendale, Mackenzie Anthony, Macey Fraser
Western Sydney Wanderers: Amy Chessari, Cushla Rue, Ena Harada, Ella Buchanan, Janae De Fazio, Kim Soeun, Poppie Hooks, Yuan Cong, Anika Stajcic, Siena Arrarte, Sham Khamis, Amy Harrison, Danika Matos, Ying Wang, Alana Cerne, Ava Collins, Olivia Price
Meet the coaches
There are two new coaches in the Ninja A-League this season while one interim coach has been upgraded to the job proper.
Johno Clemente is the new coach at Brisbane Roar, becoming the youngest coach of an A-Leagues senior team as a result. Find out more about the 27-year-old here. Last season’s coach Alex Smith left the Roar to join American club Brooklyn FC.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 07: A-League Women Head Coach, Johnathan Clemente poses during a media opportunity ahead of the A-League season at Suncorp Stadium, on October 07, 2026 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for A-Leagues)
Central Coast Mariners have welcomed Dean Heffernan back to the Ninja A-League as the successor to last season’s coach Kory Babington. Heffernan was the coach of Western Sydney Wanderers in 2019-20, the only time Wanderers have qualified for finals. Find out more about Dean Heffernan here. Babington is now an assistant coach to fellow Australian Leah Blayney at Canadian outfit Calgary Wild.
Sydney FC elevated interim coach James Slaveski to the permanent job with a two-year contract. Slaveski had succeeded Ante Juric during the 2025/26 season. Find out more about Slaveski’s appointment here.
Ninja A-League coaches for 2026-27
- Adelaide United: Theo Tsiounis
- Brisbane Roar: Johno Clemente
- Central Coast: Dean Heffernan
- Melbourne City: Michael Matricciani
- Melbourne Victory: Jeff Hopkins
- Newcastle Jets: Stephen Hoyle
- Perth Glory: Stephen Peters
- Sydney FC: James Slaveski
- Wellington Phoenix: Bev Priestman
- Western Sydney Wanderers: Geoff Abrahams
All-new kits
With the start of every A-Leagues season comes the excitement of kit reveals, and this pre-season has been no different.
Click here to keep track of each club’s kit releases.
A-LEAGUES KITS: Every team’s new jerseys for the 2026-27 season
Essential reading
Catch up with aleagues.com.au’s comprehensive pre-season coverage, with everything you need to know about key talking points, fixtures, signings and departures, kits and the young players to watch, as well as long-form interviews with players and coaches.
Important reading
FULL FIXTURES: 2026/27 Ninja A-League season fixtures released: Full Details
TRANSFER CENTRE: Ninja A-League 2026/27 Transfer Centre: Your club’s moves
Player and coach features
SHELBY McMAHON: Melbourne City’s young star on the club’s off-season transfer spree
CHARLOTTE McLEAN: Sydney FC defender warns against writing off the Sky Blues
ABBY ERCEG: Former Football Fern ready to give back at home after globetrotting
CHLOE LINCOLN: Roar goalkeeper flying the flag for Matildas at home
JEFF HOPKINS: Victory coach shuffles staff ahead of 11th season in charge
