It’s not often recognised by those outside its flock, but the round ball game was the first of Australia’s various footballing codes to field a truly national league – the NSL, which launched in 1977 with representation from four states and the ACT. And while the nearly 50 years since have given ample demonstration that going first doesn’t necessarily correlate with success, Australian football will once again step into the unknown in 2025, launching a national second-tier competition known as the Australian Championship in October. This being Australian football, though, there are plenty of questions, chief amongst them what this new competition is supposed to be and, more pressingly, how it’s going to get there.
The initial plan to launch a standalone, home-and-away league in November 2023 was the preferred option of the eight foundation clubs unveiled. But challenges in finding at least four more clubs from a further two states that met its necessary sporting, financial, and geographic criteria forced Football Australia to alter its plans in the 15 months since. Instead, the 2025 Australian Championship will commence with 16 teams competing in four groups of four before moving into a knockout finals series – a Champions League-style model.
