A-League could grow as early as next season to ensure a fairer competition
A ‘strategic review’ will decide when and where the men’s A-League competition will expand.
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A 14-team A-League remains a possibility for next season, with the Australian Professional Leagues to conduct a “strategic review” into expansion over the next six months.
The new season kicked off on the weekend amid the fallout from Adelaide United coach Carl Veart’s comments that the competition isn’t fair because teams don’t play each other the same amount of times.
The APL, which runs the A-League, wasn’t thrilled with Veart going public with his thoughts last Friday, despite admitting the competition’s structure isn’t “perfect”.
The 12 A-League clubs play each other at least twice, before playing another four teams a third time to meet the minimum Asian Football Confederation requirement for clubs of 26 games per season.
“It might not be ideal and it might not be a perfect structure, which I think we all agree, but to call it unfair is probably inappropriate,” APL managing director Danny Townsend said.
Adding two teams will ensure a genuine 26-round home and away season.
Clubs and players, as well as Socceroos coach Graham Arnold, are screaming out for more games for the betterment of Australian football.
A 16-team competition consisting of 30 regular season rounds, plus finals, is widely regarded as the ideal A-League structure.
“The APL has stated that it’s our objective to get to a full home and away season, with either 14 or 16 teams, depending on the outcome of the strategic plan,” said Townsend, who “wouldn’t rule out” teams being added to the A-League as soon as next season.
“There will be a strategic review on our process of expansion conducted over the next six months with a view to actioning that strategy once it’s complete.
“We need to do work on what the process should be, not what is the process itself, because we don’t know that yet.”
The location of potential expansion clubs remains a hot topic, with the APL understood to be receiving plenty of inquiries from interested investors.
A second New Zealand team, most likely based in Auckland, has been discussed, as has a Canberra side to sit alongside the national capital’s women’s A-League outfit.
Tasmania remains an expansion option, as do second teams in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.
Originally published as A-League could grow as early as next season to ensure a fairer competition
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