Crisis-ridden A-League confirm Canberra expansion team won’t go ahead next season

The A-League’s woes continue with commissioner Nick Garcia confirming plans for a new team won’t go ahead next season.

The A-League’s woes continue with Commissioner Nick Garcia confirming plans for a new Canberra team won’t go ahead next season.

Australian Professional League, the body in charge of the A-League's, had planned to expand the men’s competition by two teams from 12 to 14 for the 2024/25 season.

The deal for the second New Zealand based club Auckland FC was announced late 2023.

All season the APL said multiple times during the season the bid for the Canberra licence was close.

Now four months out from the season kicking off Garcia has conceded it won’t happen as planned.

“We are still in discussion with a preferred consortium for an A-League licence in Canberra, but they aren’t able to stand up a team in time for season 2024/25,” Garcia said.

“The ACT has a fantastic football fanbase, and we remain committed to Canberra and a fourteenth A-League team.

“We want to give new owners the proper runway to set up a team to ensure long-term success.”

Canberra United has been a staple of the A-League Women. Picture: Jono Searle/Getty Images

Garcia didn’t reveal any details about the proposed new owners of the club other than that they had European connections.

“The preferred consortium has the right capability – a mix of European top-flight experience, and local Canberra knowledge and relationships – and we continue to work with them,” Garcia said.

The new Canberra team was expected to take on the existing women’s licence from Capital Football – the only state body to run an A-League's club.

With no announcement made by the end of the season Capital Football were forced to seek funds from outside sources, including a crowd-funding campaign from fans and a government grant in order to keep the women’s team alive next season.

It is a big blow to the already struggling APL with the licence fee rumoured to be worth $25 million.

APL has had a rough 12 months – forced to axe half of its work force earlier this year, cancelling the usually lavish end of season awards and its bungled broadcast deal is causing a huge drain on funds.

Last month CODE Sports revealed the APL Board had been asked to consider slashing its central distribution fund, derived from TV rights and commercial revenue to clubs by up to 50 per cent for the upcoming season.

The board couldn’t reach a decision and is still in talks about the matter.

The APL said it would provide a further update in the coming months on the new licence process.

Originally published as Crisis-ridden A-League confirm Canberra expansion team won’t go ahead next season