When does the A-League start?

Football Australia has released the Domestic Match Calendar for 2025-26, confirming the season start and end dates for the Isuzu UTE A-League and Ninja A-League seasons, as well as when Australia’s transfer windows will open and close.

The Isuzu UTE A-League 2025-26 regular season will commence on Friday, 17 October 2025, with the Grand Final scheduled for the weekend of 22 – 24 May, 2026.

The Ninja A-League 2025-26 regular season will commence on Friday, 31 October 2025, with the Grand Final to be contested on the weekend of 15 – 17 May, 2026.

CLICK HERE TO HEAD TO THE ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE TRANSFER CENTRE

In providing a clear schedule for football in Australia, the DMC sets distinct windows for matches for the Isuzu UTE A-League Men, Ninja A-League Women, Hahn Australia Cup, the Australian Championship and National Premier Leagues – allowing administrators and teams to plan their activities accordingly.

The development of the DMC has been underpinned by ongoing and extensive consultation with key stakeholders including the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and Member Federations.

“The 2025/26 Domestic Match Calendar is a product of genuine collaboration across the football ecosystem — from the AFC and APL to our Member Federations and NPL clubs — and reflects our shared commitment to unity, alignment and excellence,” Football Australia’s Interim CEO Hearther Garriock said.

“This schedule gives the CommBank Matildas a clear lead-in to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 on home soil and ensures the Subway Socceroos are prepared for the FIFA World Cup 26 — while keeping our domestic competitions vibrant, uninterrupted and connected to the global game.

“The introduction of the Australian Championship will deliver more football, better football, and create new national opportunities for clubs and players — enhancing the football experience for all.”

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Football Australia has once again ensured that all FIFA International Windows for men’s football will be observed throughout 2025/26, while for women’s football, the October, February and April windows will be observed, with the Ninja A-League playing up to six matches through the November window and will resume games from the finals stage of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026.

In addition, two registration windows will service each of the men’s and women’s professional competitions, strategically scheduled to enable player movement between clubs within Australia and globally.

Click here to view the full Australian Football Domestic Match Calendar 2025-26.

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