List of Australian soccer champions
The Australian soccer champions are the winners of the highest league in Australian association football (soccer), which is currently the A-League. As is the case in most Australian sports, the winners of a post-season playoffs competition, known as the finals, has traditionally been crowned champion, unlike the first-past-the-post system used in many other countries. The team that finished first-past-the-post was often referred to as the Minor Premiers while the finals winning team was awarded the Premiership. In an attempt to create more prestige around the first-past-the-post title, it was renamed the Premiership and the finals winning team is now awarded the Championship. Both the Champions and Premiers are awarded direct entry into the Asian Champions League each season.
Background
In 1962, the national governing body for association football in Australia was established, known as the Australian Soccer Federation (ASF). The ASF organised the first national club tournament that same year when a knockout cup competition named the Australia Cup was first held. The Australia Cup was abolished in 1968 when the growing issue of interstate travel became untenable. A national league was first discussed in 1974 when the Australian national team made its inaugural World Cup appearance. In 1977, the Australian Soccer Association established the National Soccer League (NSL) of Australia,[1] which included teams from Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney. The competition ran a promotion-relegation system for its entire lifespan as well as a knockout cup competition.
For the first seven seasons, the NSL awarded the championship to the team that finished first-past-the-post and was dominated by Sydney-based teams. By the mid-80s, the league had introduced a post-season playoffs competition that would crown the champions and the title was shared more evenly around the nation. Seasons initially ran over the winter months until 1989 when it was changed to the summer months to avoid conflicts with Australian rules football and the two rugby codes. By 2000, each major capital city had secured at least one NSL title outside of Perth. The Perth Glory made history in 2002–03 when they were crowned champions and the victory meant the five major cities of Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney had all secured at least one NSL title over the duration of the league's history.
The National Soccer League was disbanded in 2004 and an 8-team A-League competition was established in 2005, which included a salary cap and no promotion-relegation. Adelaide, Newcastle and Perth were the only NSL teams retained in the new competition. It included one team from each of the major capital cities, two regional teams and a team from New Zealand. As is the case in many sporting leagues in Australia, a New Zealand-based team has been allowed entry into the top tiered Australian league since 1999. The decision to retain a New Zealand-based team in the top league has proved problematic in recent years due to Football Federation Australia's decision to move from the Oceania Football Confederation to the Asian Football Confederation in 2006. As a result, a New Zealand-based team can be crowned Premiers and/or Champions of Australia but is ineligible to compete in the Asian Champions League.[2] In 2014, Football Federation Australia reintroduced a national knockout cup competition known as the FFA Cup.
Marconi Stallions, Melbourne Victory, Sydney City, Sydney FC and South Melbourne hold the record for most top flight Championships with four while the Melbourne Knights and Perth Glory hold the record for most top flight Premierships with four. Out of the three iterations of national cup competitions in Australia; Adelaide City, APIA Leichhardt and Sydney City hold the record for most national cup titles with three.
National League Champions
| Champions also won the Premiership that season | |
| Champions also won the NSL/FFA Cup that season | |
| Champions also won the Premiership and NSL/FFA Cup that season | |
| Champions also won the OFC/AFC Champions League that season |
National Soccer League
A-League
- 1^ The finals competition was not considered the overall winner of the NSL season. It is historically viewed as a post-season exhibition competition.
Total Championships won
Teams in bold compete in the A-League as of 2018–19 season.
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney City | 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982 | ||
| Marconi Stallions | 1979, 1988, 1989, 1992–93 | ||
| South Melbourne | 1984, 1990–91, 1997–98, 1998–99 | ||
| Melbourne Victory | 2006–07, 2008–09, 2014–15, 2017–18 | ||
| Sydney FC | 2005–06, 2009–10, 2016–17, 2018–19 | ||
| Adelaide City | 1986, 1991–92, 1993–94 | ||
| Brisbane Roar | 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14 | ||
| Sydney Olympic | 1989–90, 2001–02 | ||
| Perth Glory | 2002–03, 2003–04 | ||
| Melbourne Knights | 1994–95, 1995–96 | ||
| St. George | 1983, 1987 | ||
| Wollongong Wolves | 1999–2000, 2000–01 | ||
| Central Coast Mariners | 2012–13 | ||
| Adelaide United | 2015–16 | ||
| Newcastle Jets | 2007–08 | ||
| West Adelaide | 1978 | ||
| Brunswick Zebras | 1985 | ||
| Brisbane Strikers | 1996–97 |
By state/territory
| Region | Number of titles | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
 |
Marconi Stallions (4), Sydney City (4), Sydney FC (4), St. George (2), Sydney Olympic (2), Wollongong Wolves (2), Central Coast Mariners (1), Newcastle Jets (1) | |
.svg.png){kind=small} |
Melbourne Victory (4), South Melbourne (4), Melbourne Knights (2), Brunswick Zebras (1) | |
 |
Adelaide City (3), West Adelaide (1), Adelaide United (1) | |
 |
Brisbane Roar (3), Brisbane Strikers (1) | |
 |
Perth Glory (2) | |
 |
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 |
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 |
By city
| City | Number of titles | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | Marconi Stallions (4), Sydney City (4), Sydney FC (4), St. George (2), Sydney Olympic (2) | |
| Melbourne | Melbourne Victory (4), South Melbourne (4), Melbourne Knights (2), Brunswick Zebras (1) | |
| Adelaide | Adelaide City (3), West Adelaide (1), Adelaide United (1) | |
| Brisbane | Brisbane Roar (3), Brisbane Strikers (1) | |
| Perth | Perth Glory (2) | |
| Wollongong | Wollongong Wolves (2) | |
| Gosford | Central Coast Mariners (1) | |
| Newcastle | Newcastle Jets (1) |
Total Premierships won
Teams in bold compete in the A-League as of 2019–20 season.
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney FC | 2009–10, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20 | ||
| Melbourne Knights | 1990–91, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95 | ||
| Perth Glory | 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2018–19 | ||
| South Melbourne | 1992–93, 1997–98, 2000–01 | ||
| Sydney United | 1986, 1996–97, 1998–99 | ||
| Marconi Stallions | 1989, 1989–90, 1995–96 | ||
| Melbourne Victory | 2007–08, 2008–09, 2014–15 | ||
| Adelaide United | 2005–06, 2015–16 | ||
| Central Coast Mariners | 2007–08, 2011–12 | ||
| Brisbane Roar | 2010–11, 2013–14 | ||
| Sydney City | 1984, 1985 | ||
| Sydney Olympic | 2002–03 | ||
| Western Sydney Wanderers | 2012–13 | ||
| Wollongong Wolves | 1988 | ||
| APIA Leichhardt | 1987 |
By state/territory
| Region | Number of titles | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
|
Sydney FC (4), Marconi Stallions (3), Sydney United (3), Central Coast Mariners (2), Sydney City (2), APIA Leichhardt (1), Sydney Olympic (1), Western Sydney Wanderers (1), Wollongong Wolves (1) | |
|
Melbourne Knights FC (4), South Melbourne FC (3), Melbourne Victory (3) | |
|
Perth Glory (4) | |
|
Brisbane Roar (2) | |
|
Adelaide United (2) | |
|
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By city
| City | Number of titles | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | Sydney FC (4), Marconi Stallions (3), Sydney United (3), Sydney City (2), APIA Leichhardt (1), Sydney Olympic (1), Western Sydney Wanderers (1) | |
| Melbourne | Melbourne Knights (4), South Melbourne (3), Melbourne Victory (3) | |
| Perth | Perth Glory (4) | |
| Adelaide | Adelaide United (2) | |
| Brisbane | Brisbane Roar (2) | |
| Gosford | Central Coast Mariners (2) | |
| Wollongong | Wollongong Wolves (1) |
National Cup winners
| Cup Winner also won the NSL/A-League Championship that season | |
| Cup Winner also won the NSL/A-League Premiership that season | |
| Cup Winner also won the NSL/A-League Championship and Premiership that season |
Australia Cup
| Season | Cup Winner (number of titles) |
Score | Runners-up | Number of clubs participating | Higgest placed non-top-division club | Top goalscorer | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Sydney Yugal (1) | 8–1 | St. George Budapest | 16 | N/A3 | .svg.png){kind=small} |
6 |
| 1963 | Slavia Melbourne (1) | 0–0 3–2 |
Polonia Melbourne | 24 | N/A3 | .svg.png){kind=small} |
6 |
| 1964 | George Cross (1) | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | APIA Leichhardt | unknown | N/A3 | .svg.png){kind=small} |
7 |
| 1965 | Sydney Hakoah (1) | 1–1 (13–13 p) 2–1 (replay) |
APIA Leichhardt | 13 | N/A3 |  |
6 |
| 1966 | APIA Leichhardt (1) | 2–0 | Sydney Hakoah | 16 | N/A3 | |
4 |
| 1967 | Melbourne Hungaria (1) | 4–3 | APIA Leichhardt | 16 | N/A3 | |
6 |
| 1968 | Sydney Hakoah (2) | 3–0 3–1 |
Melbourne Hakoah | unknown | N/A3 | unknown |
NSL Cup
| Season | Cup Winner (number of titles) |
Score | Runners-up | Number of clubs participating | Higgest placed non-top-division club | Top goalscorer | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Brisbane City (1) | 1–1 (5–3 p) | Marconi Fairfield | 14 | N/A4 | unknown | |
| 1978 | Brisbane City (2) | 2–1 | Adelaide City | 32 | Essendon Croatia (2) (Quarter-finals) |
unknown | |
| 1979 | Adelaide City (1) | 3–1 | St. George-Budapest | 32 | Eastern Districts Azzurri (2) (Quarter-finals) |
unknown | |
| 1980 | Marconi Fairfield (1) | 0–0 (a.e.t.) 3–0 (Replay) |
Heidelberg United | 32 | Spearwood Dalmatinac (2) (Quarter-finals) |
unknown | |
| 1981 | Brisbane Lions5 (1) | 3–1 | West Adelaide | 36 | St Kilda Hakoah (2) (Quarter-finals) |
unknown | |
| 1982 | APIA Leichhardt (2) | 2–1 | Heidelberg United | 16 | N/A4 | unknown | |
| 1983 | Sydney Olympic (1) | 1–0 1–0 |
Heidelberg United | 16 | N/A4 | unknown | |
| 1984 | Newcastle Rosebud (1) | 1–0 | Melbourne Knights | 24 | N/A4 | unknown | |
| 1985 | Sydney Olympic (2) | 2–1 | Preston Makedonia | 32 | Adelaide Croatia (2) (Quarter-finals) |
unknown | |
| 1986 | Sydney City (3) | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | West Adelaide | 32 | Croydon City (2) (Quarter-finals) |
unknown | |
| 1987 | Sydney United (1) | 1–0 1–0 |
South Melbourne | 13 | N/A4 | unknown | |
| 1988 | APIA Leichhardt (3) | 0–0 (5–3 p) | Brunswick Juventus | 14 | N/A4 | unknown | |
| 1989 | Adelaide City (2) | 2–0 | Sydney Olympic | 14 | N/A4 | unknown | |
| 1989–90 | South Melbourne (1) | 4–1 | Sydney Olympic | 14 | N/A4 | unknown | |
| 1990–91 | Parramatta Eagles (1) | 1–0 | Preston Lions | 14 | N/A4 | unknown | |
| 1991–92 | Adelaide City (3) | 2–1 | Marconi Fairfield | 14 | N/A4 | |
3 |
| 1992–93 | Heidelberg United (1) | 2–0 | Parramatta Eagles | 14 | N/A4 | unknown | |
| 1993–94 | Parramatta Eagles (2) | 2–0 | Sydney United | 14 | Brisbane United (2) (Semi-finals) |
|
4 |
| 1994–95 | Melbourne Knights (1) | 6–0 | Heidelberg United | 14 | Melbourne Zebras (2) (Quarter-finals) |
|
6 |
| 1995–96 | South Melbourne (2) | 3–1 | Newcastle Breakers | 12 | N/A4 | |
6 |
| 1996–97 | Collingwood Warriors (1) | 1–0 | Marconi Fairfield | 16 | Brisbane Lions (2) (Round of 16) |
|
4 |
- 4^ These season's competitions were exclusive to NSL Clubs only.
- 5^ In 2016 the FFA confirmed Brisbane Roar assumed all of the Brisbane Lions FC's NSL history and were therefore credited the 1981 NSL Cup honour.[4]
FFA Cup
| Season | Cup winners (number of titles) |
Score | Runners-up | Number of clubs participating | Highest placed non-A-League club | Top goalscorer | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Adelaide United (1) | 1–0 | Perth Glory | 631 | Bentleigh Greens (Semi-finals) |
 |
6 |
| 2015 | Melbourne Victory (1) | 2–0 | Perth Glory | 648 | Hume City (Semi-finals) |
|
6 |
| 2016 | Melbourne City (1) | 1–0 | Sydney FC | 704 | Canberra Olympic (Semi-finals) |
|
5 |
| 2017 | Sydney FC (1) | 2–1 (aet) | Adelaide United | 735 | South Melbourne (Semi-finals) |
 |
8 |
| 2018 | Adelaide United (2) | 2–1 | Sydney FC | 781 | Bentleigh Greens (Semi-finals) |
|
5 |
| 2019 | Adelaide United (3) | 4–0 | Melbourne City | 736 | Brisbane Strikers (Semi-finals) |
|
6 |
Total Cups won
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| APIA Leichhardt | 1966, 1982, 1988 | ||
| Adelaide United | 2014, 2018, 2019 | ||
| Adelaide City | 1979, 1989, 1991–92 | ||
| Sydney City | 1965, 1968, 1986 | ||
| Sydney Olympic | 1983, 1985 | ||
| Parramatta Eagles | 1990–91, 1993–94 | ||
| South Melbourne | 1989–90, 1995–96 | ||
| Brisbane City | 1977, 1978 | ||
| Heidelberg United | 1992–93 | ||
| Marconi Stallions | 1980 | ||
| Melbourne Knights | 1994–95 | ||
| Sydney United | 1987 | ||
| Sydney FC | 2017 | ||
| Brisbane Roar | 19815 | ||
| Collingwood Warriors | 1996–97 | ||
| George Cross | 1964 | ||
| Melbourne City | 2016 | ||
| Melbourne Hungaria | 1967 | ||
| Melbourne Victory | 2015 | ||
| Newcastle Rosebud | 1984 | ||
| Sydney Yugal | 1962 | ||
| Slavia Melbourne | 1963 |
By State/Territory
| Region | Number of titles | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
|
APIA Leichhardt (3), Hakoah Sydney City East (3), Sydney Olympic (2), Parramatta Eagles (2), Marconi Stallions (1), Newcastle Rosebud (1), Sydney United (1), Sydney FC (1) Sydney Yugal (1) | |
|
South Melbourne (2), Collingwood Warriors (1), George Cross (1), Heidelberg United (1), Melbourne City (1), Melbourne Hungaria (1), Melbourne Knights (1), Melbourne Victory (1), Slavia Melbourne (1) | |
|
Adelaide City (3), Adelaide United (3) | |
|
Brisbane City (2), Brisbane Roar (1) | |
|
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By City
| City | Number of titles | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | APIA Leichhardt (3), Hakoah Sydney City East (3), Sydney Olympic (2), Parramatta Eagles (2), Marconi Stallions (1), Sydney United (1), Sydney FC (1), Sydney Yugal (1) | |
| Melbourne | South Melbourne (2), Collingwood Warriors (1), George Cross (1), Heidelberg (1), Melbourne City (1), Melbourne Hungaria (1), Melbourne Knights (1), Melbourne Victory (1), Slavia Melbourne (1) | |
| Adelaide | Adelaide City (3), Adelaide United (3) | |
| Brisbane | Brisbane City (2), Brisbane Roar (1) | |
| Newcastle | Newcastle Rosebud (1) |
Continental Champions
Oceania Club Championship
| Season | Champions (number of titles) |
Score | Runners-up | Number of clubs participating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Adelaide City (1) | 1–1 (4–1 p) | |
9 |
| 1999 | South Melbourne (1) | 5–1 |  |
9 |
| 2001 | Wollongong Wolves (1) | 1–0 |  |
11 |
| 2005 | Sydney FC (1) | 2–0 |  |
13 |
Asian Champions League
| Season | Champions (number of titles) |
Score | Runners-up | Number of clubs participating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Western Sydney Wanderers (1) | 1–0 0–0 |
 |
47 |
Multiple trophy wins
The Double
See The Double
| Continental Double OFC (1966–2004) / AFC (2005–present) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Club | Season | Titles |
| South Melbourne | NSL Premiership, Oceania Club Championship | |
| Wollongong Wolves | NSL Premiership, Oceania Club Championship | |
| Domestic Double | ||
|---|---|---|
| Club | Season | Titles |
| South Melbourne | NSL Minor Premiership, NSL Premiership | |
| Adelaide City | NSL Premiership, NSL Cup | |
| Melbourne Knights | NSL Minor Premiership, NSL Premiership | |
| South Melbourne | NSL Minor Premiership, NSL Premiership | |
| Perth Glory | NSL Minor Premiership, NSL Premiership | |
| Melbourne Victory | A-League Premiership, A-League Championship | |
| Melbourne Victory | A-League Premiership, A-League Championship | |
| Sydney FC | A-League Premiership, A-League Championship | |
| Brisbane Roar | A-League Premiership, A-League Championship | |
| Brisbane Roar | A-League Premiership, A-League Championship | |
| Melbourne Victory | A-League Premiership, A-League Championship | |
| Adelaide United | A-League Premiership, A-League Championship | |
| Sydney FC | A-League Premiership, A-League Championship | |
| Sydney FC | A-League Premiership, FFA Cup | |
The Treble
See The Treble
| Domestic Treble (Season) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Club | Season | Titles |
| Melbourne Knights | NSL Minor Premiership, NSL Premiership, NSL Cup | |
Note: In the 2008–09 season Melbourne Victory won all three pieces of A-League silverware on offer, the Pre-Season Challenge Cup, the Premiership, and the Championship.
| Domestic Treble (Calendar Year) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Club | Year | Titles |
| Melbourne Victory | A-League Premiership, A-League Championship, FFA Cup | |
| Sydney FC | A-League Premiership, A-League Championship, FFA Cup | |
Pre-Season Cup winners
A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup
| Season | Champions | Score | Runners-up | Number of clubs participating | Top goalscorer | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Central Coast Mariners | 1–0 | Perth Glory | 8 | |
3 |
| 2006 | Adelaide United | 1–1 (5–4 p) | Central Coast Mariners | 8 | |
3 |
| 2007 | Adelaide United | 2–1 | Perth Glory | 8 |  |
3 |
| 2008 | Melbourne Victory | 0–0 (8–7 p) | Wellington Phoenix | 8 |  |
2 |
Note: All seasons were exclusive to A-League clubs only.
Multiple title winners
Clubs in bold play in the A-League.
| Team | Champions | League Premiers | Cup Winners | Continental Winners | Pre-Season Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Melbourne | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | 10 |
| Sydney FC | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | 10 |
| Melbourne Victory | 4 | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | 9 |
| Sydney City | 4 | 2 | 3 | - | - | 9 |
| Adelaide United | 1 | 2 | 3 | - | 2 | 8 |
| Marconi Stallions | 4 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 8 |
| Adelaide City | 3 | - | 3 | 1 | - | 7 |
| Melbourne Knights | 2 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 7 |
| Brisbane Roar | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 6 |
| Perth Glory | 2 | 4 | - | - | - | 6 |
| Sydney Olympic | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 5 |
| Wollongong Wolves | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | - | 4 |
| Sydney United | - | 3 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| APIA Leichhardt | - | 1 | 3 | - | - | 4 |
| Central Coast Mariners | 1 | 2 | - | - | 1 | 4 |
| St George | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Western Sydney Wanderers | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 2 |
| Brisbane City | - | - | 2 | - | - | 2 |
References
- Hay, Roy; Murray, Bill, eds. (2006). The world game downunder. Melbourne: Australian Society for Sports History. p. 120. ISBN 0975761668.
- Phoenix seek Champions League resolution
- Andrew Robinson (8 June 2016). "Australia Cup 1962–1968".
- "FFA amalgamate A-League and NSL honours for new national list of records". Sydney Morning Herald. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
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