The newly formed Australian Professional Leagues will take over the running of top-level football after the A-League and W-League were finally “unbundled” from Football Australia.
The move, which has been years in the making, separates FA as the Australian game’s regulatory body from the operation of the professional leagues, which also includes the Y-League.
“This is an historic moment for the future of football in Australia – for the fan, for the player, for the whole game,” Paul Lederer, chair of APL, said.
A-League club owners have spent years fighting for independence from FA, with the spats turning ugly at times.
The owners feel independence will give them more power to grow their respective clubs and help strengthen the ailing competition. Attracting foreign investors is now expected to be easier.
In accordance with Fifa statutes, the professional leagues will operate under the umbrella of FA as the top tier of domestic league football competitions in Australia.
The APL will take over the operational, commercial, and marketing control of the leagues and all revenue generation responsibilities.
“It’s now time to earn and deliver the future our game deserves,” Lederer said. “The handbrake on the game is off; owners can finally invest in what they own and create value for the entire footballing ecosystem.
“Players can plan their careers in Australian football, fans can reconnect with the game that they love, and clubs can create meaningful moments for the whole Australian football family.”
As part of the unbundling, the APL will also obtain the exclusive right to use the intellectual property rights associated with the E-League brand.
FA CEO James Johnson said the unbundling was a “key milestone” in the ongoing transformation of Australian football.
“It represents the culmination of a process, which ramped up following the completion of the A-League 2019-20 season, that ebbed and flowed over the course of what has been a difficult 2020.”
FA, itself recently rebranded from Football Federation Australia, will retain control of regulatory functions such as on- and off-field disciplinary and integrity matters, the registration of clubs, players and officials, the transfer system, and the domestic match calendar.
The APL Board will comprise of five directors from the clubs, three independent directors, and one person appointed by FA. An independent chair, to be elected by the clubs and ratified by FA, will have a casting vote on the APL board.
Greg O’Rourke, currently Head of Leagues at FA, will take on a new role as commissioner of the professional leagues for APL.
