The 2025-26 Ninja A-League continues at a pace this weekend and aleagues.com.au has everything you need to know ahead of Round 21.
Read on for a game-by-game preview ahead of Round 21.
Brisbane Roar v Perth Glory
Friday, March 27 – Spencer Park– 7:00pm AEDT
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Current table position
Brisbane Roar: 7th
Perth Glory: 8th
Round 20 result
Brisbane Roar: 4-2 win over Newcastle Jets (H)
Perth Glory: 0-0 draw against Central Coast Mariners (A)
This match here will be pivotal in deciding who makes it into the top six, with Perth just one point behind Brisbane.
A Glory win would see them leap the Roar and (at least temporarily) move into fifth spot on the ladder, pending Melbourne Victory and Central Coast’s matches.
A draw could take both Brisbane and Perth out of finals contention altogether if Melbourne Victory and Central Coast both win their matches later this weekend – or if Victory and Central Coast both lose, all four teams will be scrapping over the final two finals places.
Brisbane will go into this one as favourites with their goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln back from Matildas duty and the momentum of their tide-turning win over Newcastle.
19-year-old striker Daisy Brown scored her first Ninja A-League hat-trick and Dutchwoman Bente Jansen chipped in with her eighth goal of the season in the 4-2 victory.
Brisbane took all three points when they went over to Perth in November, two goals from Jansen and one from Grace Kuilamu took them past Perth’s two goals from Rola Badawiya and Ella Lincoln.
Adelaide United v Newcastle Jets
Saturday, March 28 – ServiceFM Stadium – 2:45pm AEDT
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Current table position
Adelaide United: 4th
Newcastle Jets: 9th
Round 20 result
Adelaide United: 3-2 loss to Canberra United (A)
Newcastle Jets: 4-2 loss to Brisbane Roar (A)
Adelaide have wobbled just a little bit with a draw and a loss from the last two games against fellow top four sides Melbourne City and Canberra United respectively, and they’ll be keen to steady themselves at home to the Jets.
Newcastle can still mathematically make finals, but they need a lot to go their way.
They need a win here and against Melbourne City next weekend whilst also needing Central Coast, Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory to all lose both of their last two matches and they need a heck of a goal difference swing to bring their -7 ahead of Central Coast’s +1.
It’s a long shot, but anything can happen in the Ninja A-League.
Newcastle were 4-0 down to Brisbane last weekend before late goals from Natasha Prior and Sophie Hoban brought it back to 4-2.
Sarah Morgan scored Adelaide’s first goal against Canberra, before 18-year-old striker scored her first ever Ninja A-League goal in stoppage time just three minutes after being subbed on.
Cassidy Davis opened the scoring for Newcastle when these sides met in January, before Erin Healy and Carina Rossi’s goals earned Adelaide the win.
Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory
Saturday, March 28 – Leichhardt Oval – 5:00pm AEDT
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Current table position
Sydney FC: 11th
Melbourne Victory: 6th
Round 20 result
Sydney FC: 3-1 loss to Wellington Phoenix (H)
Melbourne Victory: Bye
Melbourne Victory can go a long way to sealing their place in the top six with a win in Sydney, while a win for Sydney can pull them up off the bottom of the table.
If Victory lose this one, they will need a win against Perth Glory next weekend to avoid relying on the results of other matches to guarantee their place in the finals.
Sydney hit the front in the third minute against Wellington Phoenix through Caley Tallon-Henniker.
The 20-year-old winger’s first ever Ninja A-League goal wasn’t enough though, with the Phoenix answering back with three goals of their own.
In the last match before their bye, Melbourne Victory took out Western Sydney Wanderers in a scrappy 1-0 affair where Holly Furphy’s second-half goal made the difference.
Goalkeepers Heather Hinz and Courtney Newbon were in fine form when these sides met in January, Sydney and Victory playing out a 0-0 draw with seven saves from Hinz and five from Newbon.
Wellington Phoenix v Western Sydney Wanderers
Sunday, March 29 – Porirua Park – 2:00pm AEDT
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Current table position
Wellington Phoenix: 2nd
Western Sydney Wanderers: 10th
Round 20 result
Wellington Phoenix: 3-1 win over Sydney FC (A), 2-1 loss to Central Coast Mariners (A)
Western Sydney Wanderers: 2-1 loss to Melbourne City (H)
Wellington blew the chance to put some real pressure on Melbourne City when they lost 2-1 to Central Coast midweek, but the premiership charge is not completely over.
If the Phoenix win here and next week against Adelaide, and City lose next weekend to Newcastle, Phoenix will be premiers.
If the Phoenix lose or draw here, City will be premiers – regardless of what happens next week.
Talia Younis’s knack for the spectacular reared its head again last weekend, with an un-saveable long range strike to halve City’s lead.
The Wanderers could do with a moment or two of Younis brilliance to help them get points out of the Phoenix.
With the bye next round, this will be Western Sydney’s final match of the season and their final chance to make it hard for Sydney to jump them and bolt them down at the foot of the table.
Two Emma Main goals and one from Sabitra ‘Samba’ Bhandari earned Wellington a 3-0 win when these sides met in December.
Central Coast Mariners v Canberra United
Sunday March 29 – polytec Stadium – 4:00pm AEDT
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Current table position
Central Coast Mariners: 5th
Canberra United: 3rd
Round 20 result
Central Coast Mariners: 0-0 draw against Perth Glory (A), 2-1 win over Wellington Phoenix (H)
Canberra United: 3-2 win over Adelaide United (H)
Central Coast just won’t lay down. Last week, they were down in eighth and needed to get blood out of a Wellington Phoenix shaped stone to keep their finals chances open.
They only went and found a vein; first 18-year-old striker Eliza Familton gave them the lead with a header, then Izzy Gomez nailed her strike from the edge of the 18-yard box to score a necessary insurance goal on the way to a 2-1 win.
Canberra withstood bursts of Adelaide momentum to hold on to their 3-2 win, with Bethany Gordon, Emma Hawkins and an own goal ensuring they stayed in third place on the table.
Canberra can’t win the premiership, but they can still pass the Phoenix into second and guarantee themselves a semi-finals berth with results going their way.
With how close this season is, Central Coast can finish as high as second or still miss finals. A win here will only keep them fifth, but set them up nicely to secure finals next weekend.
Lightning saw the December meeting between these sides go very long, with two extended periods of halted play.
The late goal from Canberra’s Sasha Grove cancelled out Annalise Rasmussen’s opener to share the points.
