Australia’s top flight soccer league has terminated an agreement to hold its championship-deciding Grand Final matches in Sydney due to severe backlash from clubs and fans.
Last year, the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) made a deal with the New South Wales state government to stage the A-League Men and A-League Women’s Grand Finals in Sydney until 2025. Previously, the Grand Finals were held at the home grounds of the highest-placed teams.
This decision to move the finals to Sydney garnered condemnation from several clubs and supporters groups, leading to the resignation of an APL director from its board as a form of protest.
Additonally, the move was held responsible for a violent pitch invasion by Melbourne Victory fans during the A-League Men’s derby against Melbourne City in December of last year.
Criticism continued as Sydney hosted the women’s Grand Final, won by local club Sydney FC, in April, and the men’s decider in June.
The men’s title match saw Melbourne City, the top-ranked team, suffer a crushing 6-1 defeat against Central Coast Mariners in front of a disappointing crowd at Western Sydney Stadium.
Instead of the Grand Finals, APL announced on Wednesday that Sydney will now host an entire round of A-League Men and A-League Women matches.
The inaugural ‘Unite Round’ is scheduled to take place from January 12-14 next year, and another will be held in Sydney during the 2024/25 season.
APL CEO Danny Townsend stated, “We have worked closely with our clubs and fans to ensure that there are suitable constructive mechanisms for the voices of fans to be heard. Many of the resulting conversations have included the hosting of the Grand Finals and the strong sentiments around that.”
The A-League Men’s 2023/24 season will commence on Friday, with reigning champions Central Coast playing against Adelaide United.
Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford
