The A-League can’t afford to play more games. It also can’t afford not to

October 14, 2026 — 10:17am

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One of the world’s longest off-seasons is finally over … and thus begins one of world football’s shortest seasons. Which also happens to be the longest of any football code in Australia, but still not quite as long as it used to be.

Confused? You must be new to the A-League.

There are structural issues galore across all of Australian soccer, but one of the biggest things holding back the development of local players - and thus, the financial position of their clubs, and the progress of the code - is how often they play.

This weekend, more than five months since the end of the last A-League Men regular season, the competition’s 12 teams will begin a campaign which will see them play 26 games each - and then, for the top six, a maximum of four extra games in the finals series.

There are a few problems with the set-up. Firstly, it produces an uneven fixture, with teams playing some rivals twice and others three times. Secondly, the delayed start date in mid-October - initially intended so the A-League could launch in “clear air” - means players aren’t at full match fitness for the first international window of the season in September, disadvantaging national teams. The concept of “clear air” is outdated anyway, given the continued expansion of content from other sports into a period when the A-League used to take over.

Thirdly, and most significantly, it’s just not enough football.

It’s........

© Brisbane Times