The full fixture for the Ninja A-League 2025-26 season has arrived, and there is no shortage of talking points. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming season, from the tweaked format and scheduling considerations to broadcast details and Melbourne City’s continental challenge. The 2025-26 season promises to be one of the most exciting yet, building on the growing popularity and competitiveness of the Ninja A-League.
Season Format: A Streamlined Competition
The Ninja A-League 2025-26 season will be played across 22 rounds, a structure necessitated by Western United FC being placed into conditional hibernation. This means each of the remaining clubs will play 20 home-and-away fixtures, plus two bye rounds. While the absence of Western United is a setback, the streamlined format aims to maintain the intensity and competitiveness of the league. The bye rounds will provide teams with crucial opportunities for rest and recovery, allowing them to better manage player fatigue and injuries throughout the season.
The 2026 Finals Series will follow last season’s successful format, with the top six sides qualifying for the playoffs. This format has proven to be a crowd-pleaser, creating thrilling knockout matches and showcasing the league’s top talent. Week one of the Finals will see third face sixth, and fourth take on fifth in two Elimination Finals. These matches are typically high-stakes affairs, with teams giving their all to secure a place in the next round.
The two winners will advance to a two-legged Semi-Final against the top two sides, with the winners qualifying for the Ninja A-League Grand Final 2026. The two-legged Semi-Finals add another layer of drama and excitement, as teams battle it out over two matches to determine who will reach the ultimate showdown. The Grand Final is the pinnacle of the Ninja A-League season, a showcase of the league’s best talent and a celebration of Australian women’s football.
Mid-Season Break for AFC Women’s Asian Cup: Prioritizing International Success
The Ninja A-League 2025-26 season will include a two-week pause from late February to mid-March to accommodate the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. This break is crucial for allowing national team players to participate in the prestigious continental tournament without disrupting the domestic season. The decision to pause the league demonstrates the APL’s commitment to supporting the growth of women’s football in Asia and ensuring that Australian players have the opportunity to compete at the highest level.
The domestic competition will return on 13 March during the knock-out stages of the continental tournament to maximize continuity for the majority of players and to avoid fixture congestion. By resuming the league during the Asian Cup knockout stages, the APL aims to minimize disruption to the season while still allowing national team players to fully participate in the tournament. This approach strikes a balance between supporting international competition and maintaining the integrity of the domestic league.
Working closely with Football Australia and the local organizing committee for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, the APL has ensured that all Ninja A-League Women matches scheduled during the knock-out stages will be played at a different time, in a different market, to avoid any clash with Asian Cup fixtures and to maximize cross-promotional opportunities. This collaboration ensures that both the Asian Cup and the Ninja A-League can thrive, with minimal overlap and maximum exposure for both competitions. The APL is committed to working with Football Australia to promote women’s football at all levels, from grassroots to international.
The Ninja A-League Women season will also observe the October, February and April FIFA international windows, with the Ninja A-League Women again playing up to five matches through the November window. These international windows are crucial for allowing national team players to participate in FIFA-sanctioned matches and tournaments. By accommodating these windows, the APL demonstrates its commitment to supporting the development of international football and ensuring that Australian players have the opportunity to represent their country on the world stage.
Family-Friendly Fixtures and Less Doubleheaders: Enhancing the Fan Experience
The 2025-26 fixture has been carefully crafted to take into account club, partner and fan feedback, with a focus on creating more family-friendly timeslots and minimizing clashes with grassroots football. This commitment to fan engagement reflects the APL’s understanding that the success of the Ninja A-League depends on creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for supporters of all ages. By scheduling games at convenient times and avoiding conflicts with other sporting events, the APL hopes to attract a wider audience and foster a stronger sense of community around the league.
The season’s fixture has also seen a reduction in doubleheaders. This has been a concerted effort from clubs and the league to tie these to select, marquee matches only, and to increase the number of standalone fixtures to develop uniquely A-League Women’s match day experiences and bring fans closer to their heroes in smaller venues. By reducing the number of doubleheaders, the APL aims to create a more intimate and engaging matchday experience for fans, allowing them to connect with their favorite teams and players in a more meaningful way. The focus on standalone fixtures also provides opportunities for clubs to develop their own unique matchday traditions and create a distinct atmosphere at their home games.
There has also been a continued effort to minimize the number of simultaneous kick-offs across each round, allowing fans to enjoy as many matches as possible every weekend. By staggering kick-off times, the APL makes it easier for fans to follow multiple games and stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the league. This approach is particularly beneficial for fans who are passionate about women’s football and want to support as many teams as possible.
Engaging More Fans Across Australia and New Zealand: Broadening the League’s Reach
Paramount Australia remains the exclusive home of Australian football for the 2025-26 season, with football fans across Australia able to enjoy access to a mountain of football with every single A-Leagues match available to stream live on Paramount+. This partnership provides fans with unprecedented access to the Ninja A-League, allowing them to watch every game live and on-demand from anywhere in the country. The convenience and accessibility of streaming services have made it easier than ever for fans to follow their favorite teams and stay connected to the league.
Building on the success of last season, Network 10 and naming rights partner Shark Ninja, have teamed up again to continue to elevate the women’s game with select Ninja A-League games to be shown on free-to-air across 10 Drama in season 2025-26. This partnership provides the Ninja A-League with valuable exposure to a wider audience, helping to raise the profile of the league and attract new fans. Free-to-air television is a powerful tool for reaching viewers who may not have access to streaming services or pay television, making it an essential component of the APL’s strategy to grow the game.
The APL, Network Ten and Shark Ninja are working through the free-to-air schedule to maximize cross-promotional opportunities and will confirm the specific fixtures shortly. Last season, the Ninja A-League reached over 900k Australians on 10 and Paramount+, and on 10 streaming and Paramount+ the league had over 1 million stream starts across the 2024-25 season. These impressive figures demonstrate the growing popularity of the Ninja A-League and the effectiveness of the APL’s broadcast partnerships.
For New Zealand fans, Sky remains the exclusive home of the Ninja A-League Women. For season 2025-26, matches will broadcast live on Sky Sport, Sky Sport Now and Sky Go, and selected A-Leagues games will be available to watch free-to-air on Sky Open. This partnership ensures that New Zealand fans have access to comprehensive coverage of the Ninja A-League, allowing them to follow their favorite teams and players throughout the season. The availability of free-to-air games on Sky Open further expands the league’s reach and introduces new viewers to the excitement of women’s football.
Regulations Factored into Fixturing: Prioritizing Player Welfare
The ‘Summer Period’, which was extended by a month in 2024-25, will remain in place from early December (Round 6) through to mid-March (Round 21) to avoid teams playing through the hottest part of the day in the cities prone to extreme heat across these months. This decision reflects the APL’s commitment to prioritizing the health and safety of players, ensuring that they are not exposed to dangerous conditions during the peak of summer.
During the ‘Summer Period’ there will be no 3pm kick off times, with all matches kicking off from 5pm local time – with the exception of a few matches due to time zones and broadcast commitments. By shifting kick-off times to later in the day, the APL aims to reduce the risk of heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses, allowing players to perform at their best in more comfortable conditions.
Following an off-season analysis on weather patterns across Australia and New Zealand, the ‘Summer Period’ will be slightly shorter in Newcastle and Victoria running from Round 7 to 18, where temperatures historically do not exhibit extreme temperatures for as long. Given the cooler climate in Wellington, there is no ‘Summer Period’ factored into the New Zealand schedule. This localized approach demonstrates the APL’s attention to detail and its commitment to tailoring the fixture to the specific conditions in each region.
The A-Leagues Heat Policy, recognised as a conservative policy by international standards, remains part of each match’s operational assessment and will be implemented for any match in or outside the ‘Summer Period’ where extreme weather conditions may present a risk for players and the comfort of fans. This comprehensive heat policy ensures that all matches are played in a safe and responsible manner, regardless of the time of year or location.
Melbourne City in the AFC Women’s Champions League: Representing Australia on the Continental Stage
Melbourne City will once again represent the Ninja A-League in the AFC Women’s Champions League – one of the richest competitions in women’s professional team sport. This is a significant opportunity for Melbourne City to showcase their talent on the continental stage and compete against some of the best teams in Asia. The AFC Women’s Champions League is a prestigious tournament that attracts significant attention from fans and media across the region.
It’s City’s second appearance at the competition after falling just short of taking out the tournament in its inaugural year in May, losing out to China’s Wuhan Jiangda in the Final on penalties. This near-miss serves as motivation for Melbourne City to go one step further this year and claim the title. The team has a strong squad and a proven track record of success, making them a serious contender for the championship.
The draw is scheduled for September 11, with the Group Stages to be played across one week in a central location from November 9. Should Melbourne City progress to the Quarter Finals stage in March, considerations will be given to their adjacent fixtures should the team need to travel. The APL is committed to supporting Melbourne City’s participation in the AFC Women’s Champions League and will work closely with the club to ensure that their domestic fixtures are not negatively impacted by their continental commitments. The league recognizes the importance of representing Australia on the international stage and is proud to support Melbourne City in their quest for glory.