The 2026/27 A-League Women season is fast approaching, with 11 teams set to compete across Australia and New Zealand from October to May. With the fixtures now confirmed, teams will be looking to make their mark on the new campaign and compete for the championship.
Whether you’re new to the A-League Women or looking for a refresher ahead of kick-off, this guide covers everything you need to know. From the competition format and key fixtures to the teams and players to watch, here’s what to look out for ahead of the new season.
Who is in the A-League?
The competition has 11 teams for the 2026/27 season: Adelaide United, Brisbane Roar, Canberra United, Central Coast Mariners, Melbourne City, Melbourne Victory, Newcastle Jets, Perth Glory, Sydney FC, Wellington Phoenix, and Western Sydney Wanderers.
The competition has grown significantly since the league, previously known as the W-League, began in October 2008. The inaugural season featured just eight teams, with Adelaide United, Brisbane Roar, Canberra United, Central Coast Mariners, Melbourne Victory, Newcastle Jets, Perth Glory and Sydney FC.
Since then, the league has continued to expand, with new clubs joining and the competition evolving into the Ninja A-League Women we see today.
How does the season work?
Each team plays 20 games across 22 rounds, meeting every other club once at home and once away. With 11 teams in the competition, each club also has two byes throughout the season.
Teams collect three points for a win and one for a draw, with the team finishing first on the ladder crowned Premiers. The top six then move into the Finals Series, where they compete for a place in the Grand Final and the Championship.
Fixtures to look out for
With many big games happening throughout the season, the derbies are always worth circling on your calendar.
Starting with the Melbourne Derby between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory, it comes as a double-header on 19 December at AAMI Park. The return fixture is scheduled for 21 February at The Home of the Matildas.
Sydney FC will meet Western Sydney Wanderers in the Sydney Derby on 30 January and again on the 3rd of April.
Further north, Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners will face off in the F3 Derby, with local bragging rights on the line.
The opening round also brings us a Grand Final rematch between Wellington Phoenix and Melbourne City at HNRY Stadium in Wellington. With both teams having signed some big names, it’ll be one not to miss.
Players to watch
Plenty of familiar faces are returning to the A-League Women this season, along with some major additions. Here are some of the names you might want to watch.
Cortnee Vine- Melbourne City
One of the biggest names returning is Cortnee Vine. The Matildas winger has joined Melbourne City after spending the last 2 years in the NWSL with North Carolina Courage.
With City losing some of their key players in the likes of Holly McNamara and Leah Davidson, Vine brings plenty of experience as the club looks to replace some of its attacking power.
Ilona Melegh- Adelaide United
Off the back of a remarkable season with Adelaide United last year, Melegh received her maiden call-up to the Australian National team squad in their games against Mexico. The 17-year-old keeper was also the winner of Adelaide’s ALW Rising Star Award, making her one to watch this season.
Sophie Harding- Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory have signed Sophie Harding after playing a season with Fort Lauderdale United FC in the Gainbridge Super League. The 2023/24 Julie Dolan Medallist brings pace and attacking quality which could very well make her an important addition to Victory’s forward line.
Skye Halmarick- Central Coast Mariners
Skye Halmarick joins the Mariners after her debut season with Sydney FC. The 18-year-old Young Matildas forward has already shown her eye for goal, winning the 2025 NPLW Golden Boot and Player of the Year awards, making her an exciting addition to the Mariners side.
Pia Vlok – Wellington Phoenix
After an impressive first season and being named the A-League Women Young Footballer of the Year, Vlok heads into the new campaign with lots of confidence. With a season of experience behind her, she will look to build on her breakout year and play an important role for Wellington Phoenix as they push for a place in the Finals Series.
Other names to keep an eye on are Willa Pearson (Sydney FC), Sienna Dale (Canberra United), Rhianna Pollicina (Western Sydney Wanderers), Lily Punch (Brisbane Roar), Georgia Cassidy (Perth Glory) and many more.
AFC Women’s Champions League
Alongside the A-League Women, the AFC Women’s Champions League provides another opportunity for Australian clubs to compete on the continental stage, with Melbourne City representing Australia this season. City qualified after winning the 2025/26 premiership and will compete in the tournament for the third consecutive season.
Melbourne City have been drawn in Group C alongside PFC Nasaf, Kaya FC-Iloilo and Beijing Jingtan. The group stage will take place in Qarshi, Uzbekistan, with City scheduled to play on November 1, November 4 and November 7.
The tournament features three groups, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the quarter-finals alongside the two best third-placed teams across all three groups.
Melbourne City have already made their mark on the AFC Women’s Champions League, finishing as runners-up in the inaugural 2024/25 edition before reaching the semi-finals last season. With a new-look squad, balancing their domestic A-League Women campaign with their continental commitments will be another key challenge this season.
What is there to play for?
There are two major domestic trophies up for grabs.
The ultimate prize in the A-League Women is the Championship. The team that wins the Grand Final is crowned A-League Women Champions and lifts the Championship trophy.
While the Premiership recognises the team who finished on top of the ladder at the end of regular season fixtures, the Championship is decided in the Finals Series. This means a team can finish outside the top two during the regular season and still go on to win the title.
What can we expect this season?
The 2026/27 A-League Women’s season looks set to be another competitive one. Melbourne City will start the season off as reigning champions, but with many changes to their squad, will it leave the door open for other teams to challenge them?
Wellington Phoenix will also be looking to go further and build on their Grand Final appearance from last season, showing it was just the start of something bigger.
With young players continuing to break through, experienced Matildas returning to the competition and clubs bringing in overseas players, there is plenty to look forward to in the coming months
The race for the Premiership begins on October 17, but with only six finals spots available and the Championship ultimately decided in May, there is a long way to go before we know who will lift the trophy.
