List of Australian men's soccer champions


The Australian soccer champions are the winners of the highest league in Australian men's soccer, which since 2005–06 is currently the A-League Men.
The National Soccer League was established in 1977. At the end of the 1977 season, Sydney City were the first club to be crowned champions.
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. The 2024–25 season is the 48th season of national level men's soccer in Australia.

Background

In 1977, the Australian Soccer Association established the National Soccer League of Australia, 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 Men 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.

Total championships won

There are 21 clubs who have won an Australian championship, including eight who have won the A-League Men. The most recent clubs to win their inaugural championship were Western United, Melbourne City and Adelaide United.
Six teams have finished as runner-up without ever winning the championship: Heidelberg United, Preston Lions, Sydney United 58, Carlton, Parramatta Power and Western Sydney Wanderers.
Teams in bold compete in the A-League Men as of the 2024–25 season.
RankClubWinnersRunners-upWinning seasons
1Sydney FC522005–06, 2009–10, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2019–20
2Hakoah Sydney City East431977, 1980, 1981, 1982
2Melbourne Victory432006–07, 2008–09, 2014–15, 2017–18
2Marconi Stallions431979, 1988, 1989, 1992–93
2South Melbourne421984, 1990–91, 1997–98, 1998–99
6Central Coast Mariners332012–13, 2022–23, 2023–24
6Adelaide City321986, 1991–92, 1993–94
6Brisbane Roar302010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14
9Sydney Olympic241989–90, 2001–02
9Perth Glory242002–03, 2003–04
9Melbourne Knights231994–95, 1995–96
9Melbourne City232020–21, 2024–25
9Wollongong Wolves201999–2000, 2000–01
14Adelaide United122015–16
14St George111983
14Newcastle Jets112007–08
14West Adelaide101978
14Brunswick Juventus101985
14APIA Leichhardt101987
14Brisbane Strikers101996–97
14Western United102021–22

Total Premierships won

Teams in bold competed in the A-League as of the 2025–26 season.
ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning seasons
Sydney FC442009–10, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20
Melbourne Knights411990–91, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95
Perth Glory411999–2000, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2018–19
South Melbourne351992–93, 1997–98, 2000–01
Central Coast Mariners332007–08, 2011–12, 2023–24
Melbourne Victory332006–07, 2008–09, 2014–15
Sydney United321986, 1996–97, 1998–99
Marconi Stallions311989, 1989–90, 1995–96
312020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
Adelaide United222005–06, 2015–16
Brisbane Roar212010–11, 2013–14
Sydney City201984, 1985
Sydney Olympic132002–03
122012–13
Wollongong Wolves121988
Auckland FC102024-25

National Cup winners

Australia Cup

SeasonCup Winner
ScoreRunners-upClubs
participating		Top goalscorerGoals
1962Sydney Yugal 8–1St. George Budapest16

Multiple trophy wins

The Treble

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.''

Pre-Season Cup winners

A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup

Note: All seasons were exclusive to A-League clubs only.

Multiple title winners

Clubs in bold play in the A-League.
TeamChampionsLeague PremiersCup WinnersContinental WinnersPre-Season CupTotal
Sydney FC5421113
Melbourne Victory432—110
South Melbourne4321—10
Sydney City4231—10
Marconi Stallions431——8
Central Coast Mariners33—118
Adelaide United123—28
Adelaide City3—31—7
Melbourne Knights241——7
Brisbane Roar321——6
Perth Glory24———6
Sydney Olympic212——5
Melbourne City131——5
Wollongong Wolves21—1—4
Sydney United—31——4
APIA Leichhardt1—3——4
Macarthur FC——2——2
Western Sydney Wanderers—1—1—2
Brisbane City——2——2