A-League Women, known as the W-League before the 2021–22 season, is an association football competition organised by Football Australia. It is the highest level of women's club football in Australia. The competition is held between 11 teams from across Australia and one in New Zealand. The competition takes the form of a number of "regular season" matches between all teams, after which the top six contest a Finals Series in order to qualify for the Grand Final, to play for the title of A-League Women Champions. The Grand Final is almost exclusively contested at the home ground of the team ranked higher during the regular season. The first W-League Grand Final was won by Queensland Roar, who beat Canberra United 2–0.
Sydney FC have won a record five Grand Finals[1] and have been runners-up more than any other team, having lost in the Grand Final six times. Melbourne City have won a record four Championships[2] and are the only A-League Women team to have won 3 championships[3] back-to-back. Sydney FC are the current Champions, having beaten Western United FC 4–0 in the 2023 Grand Final.
History
editThe winners of the first tournament were Queensland Roar (who were later to change their name to "Brisbane Roar"), after finishing at the top of the table over the regular season ("Premiers"). The Roar made all but two of the first seven W-League grand finals. In the 14 A-League Women seasons to date (including the 13 played under the original W-League branding), the Premiers have only gone on to win the Grand Final four times. The 2015 Grand Final was the first to feature neither the Roar nor Sydney FC.
Sydney FC has made 7 Grand Finals in a row as of the 2024 decider, beginning with their 2-0 loss at home to Melbourne City in 2018.
Between 2012 and 2014, the W-League Champions were invited to play in the International Women's Club Championship.
Finals
editKey
edit
| † | Match was won during extra time |
| * | Match was won on a penalty shootout |
| ‡ | Winning team won the Double |
Results
editResults by team
edit| Team | Winners | Runners-up | Years won | Years runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney FC | 5 | 6 | 2010, 2013, 2019, 2023, 2024 | 2011, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 |
| Melbourne City FC | 4 | 1 | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 | 2024 |
| Melbourne Victory FC | 3 | 1 | 2014, 2021, 2022 | 2013 |
| Brisbane Roar FC[C] | 2 | 3 | 2009, 2011, | 2010, 2012, 2015 |
| Canberra United FC | 2 | 1 | 2012, 2015 | 2009 |
| Perth Glory FC | 0 | 3 | 2015, 2017, 2019 | |
| Western United FC | 0 | 1 | 2023 |
See also
edit
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "CHAMPIONS! Sydney FC make history with Liberty A-League Grand Final triumph". 4 May 2024.
- ^ "Melbourne City crowned W-League champions after beating Sydney FC". ABC News. 21 March 2020.
- ^ "W-League grand final: Melbourne City first club to win three titles". SBS. 18 February 2018.
- ^ Sacha Pisani (30 April 2023). "The Liberty A-League Grand Final in pictures". KEEPUP. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ Sacha Pisani (4 May 2024). "CHAMPIONS! Sydney FC make history with Liberty A-League Grand Final triumph". ALeagues. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- "W-League Champions". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 27 September 2015.