2020–21 A-League
The 2020–21 A-League is the 44th season of national level soccer in Australia, and the 16th since the establishment of the A-League in 2004. The season was started on 28 December 2020 and scheduled to conclude no later than 30 June 2021.[1] The start of the season is later than previous seasons as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and New Zealand, as well as part of a gradual shift to move the competition from summer to winter.[2] Wellington Phoenix play their home matches on Australian soil due to travel restrictions.[3]
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Season | 2020–21 |
---|---|
Dates | 28 December 2020 – 30 June 2021 |
Matches played | 35 |
Goals scored | 103 (2.94 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Alou Kuol Dylan Wenzel-Halls (5 goals each) |
Biggest home win | Brisbane Roar 5–2 Melbourne Victory (6 February 2021) |
Biggest away win | Macarthur FC 0–3 Sydney FC (30 January 2021) |
Highest scoring | Western United 5–4 Perth Glory (23 January 2021) |
Longest winning run | 4 matches Brisbane Roar Central Coast Mariners |
Longest unbeaten run | 5 matches Western Sydney Wanderers |
Longest winless run | 5 matches Newcastle Jets |
Longest losing run | 4 matches Newcastle Jets |
← 2019–20
All statistics correct as of 9 February 2021. |
Sydney FC are the defending champions and premiers.
Clubs
There are 12 clubs participating in this season. Macarthur FC makes their A-League debut this season.[4]
Club | City | Home Ground | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Adelaide United | Adelaide | Coopers Stadium | 16,500 |
Brisbane Roar | Brisbane | Moreton Daily Stadium | 11,500 |
Central Coast Mariners | Gosford | Central Coast Stadium | 20,059 |
Macarthur FC | Sydney | Campbelltown Stadium | 20,000 |
Melbourne City | Melbourne | AAMI Park | 30,050 |
Melbourne Victory | Melbourne | Marvel Stadium AAMI Park |
56,347 30,050 |
Newcastle Jets | Newcastle | McDonald Jones Stadium | 33,000 |
Perth Glory | Perth | HBF Park | 20,500 |
Sydney FC | Sydney Sydney Sydney Wollongong |
Stadium Australia Netstrata Jubilee Oval Leichhardt Oval WIN Stadium |
83,500 20,500 20,000 23,000 |
Wellington Phoenix | Wollongong | WIN Stadium | 23,000 |
Western Sydney Wanderers | Sydney | Bankwest Stadium | 30,000 |
Western United | Geelong Melbourne Ballarat |
GMHBA Stadium AAMI Park Mars Stadium |
36,000 30,050 11,000 |
Personnel and kits
Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Kit sponsor |
---|---|---|---|---|
Adelaide United | ![]() |
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UCAN[5] | Flinders University[6] Australian Outdoor Living[A][7] |
Brisbane Roar | ![]() |
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Umbro[8][9] | Actron Air[10] |
Central Coast Mariners | ![]() |
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Umbro[11][12] | Masterfoods[13] MATE[A][14] |
Macarthur FC | ![]() |
![]() |
Macron[15] | Wisdom Homes[16] |
Melbourne City | ![]() |
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Puma[17] | Etihad Airways[18] |
Melbourne Victory | ![]() |
![]() |
Adidas[19] | Metricon[20] |
Newcastle Jets | ![]() |
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Apelle[21] | Inspirations Paint[22] |
Perth Glory | ![]() |
![]() |
Macron[23] | BHP[24] |
Sydney FC | ![]() |
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Under Armour[25] | The Star[26] |
Wellington Phoenix | ![]() |
![]() |
Paladin Sports[27] | KPMG[28] |
Western Sydney Wanderers | ![]() |
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Kappa[29] | Voltaren[30] JD Sports[A][31] |
Western United | ![]() |
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Kappa[32] | Simonds Homes[33] Tasman Logistics[A][34] |
Managerial changes
Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position on table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Macarthur FC | Inaugural manager | Pre-season | ![]() |
15 May 2019 | ||
Melbourne Victory | ![]() |
Promoted to full time | 24 August 2020 | ![]() |
24 August 2020 | |
Perth Glory | ![]() |
Signed by Xanthi[37] | 27 August 2020 | ![]() |
2 September 2020 | |
Melbourne City | ![]() |
Resigned | 3 September 2020 | ![]() |
3 September 2020 | |
Adelaide United | ![]() |
Promoted to full time | 18 September 2020 | ![]() |
18 September 2020 | |
Perth Glory | ![]() |
End of contract | 18 September 2020 | ![]() |
18 September 2020 | |
Western Sydney Wanderers | ![]() |
Sacked[42] | 12 October 2020 | ![]() |
15 October 2020 | |
Newcastle Jets | ![]() |
Signed by Western Sydney Wanderers[44] | 15 October 2020 | ![]() |
16 October 2020 |
Foreign players
The following do not fill a Visa position:
1Those players who were born and started their professional career abroad but have since gained Australian citizenship (or New Zealand citizenship, in the case of Wellington Phoenix);[46]
2Australian citizens (or New Zealand citizens, in the case of Wellington Phoenix) who have chosen to represent another national team;
3Injury replacement players, or National team replacement players;
4Guest players (eligible to play a maximum of fourteen games)
Salary cap exemptions and captains
Transfers
Regular season
League table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Central Coast Mariners | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 15 | Qualification to Finals Series, 2021 FFA Cup round of 32, and 2022 AFC Champions League group stage[lower-alpha 1] |
2 | Brisbane Roar | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 8 | +5 | 12 | Qualification to Finals Series and 2021 FFA Cup round of 32[lower-alpha 1] |
3 | Macarthur | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 9 | −1 | 11 | |
4 | Sydney FC | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 10 | |
5 | Perth Glory | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 12 | +3 | 9 | |
6 | Western Sydney Wanderers | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 9 | |
7 | Adelaide United | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 10 | −2 | 7 | Qualification to 2021 FFA Cup round of 32[lower-alpha 2] |
8 | Newcastle Jets | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 9 | −2 | 7 | |
9 | Melbourne City | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 10 | −4 | 6 | |
10 | Western United | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 9 | −1 | 5 | |
11 | Wellington Phoenix[lower-alpha 3] | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 4 | |
12 | Melbourne Victory | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 4 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Least red cards; 5) Least yellow cards; 6) Toss of a coin in an event of a tie of two clubs.
Notes:
- The top two teams enter the Finals series at the semi-finals, while the teams ranked third to sixth enter the Finals series at the elimination-finals.
- The top 8 teams qualify for the round of 32, while the bottom four teams participate in a playoff round.[72]
- Wellington Phoenix cannot qualify for Asian Football Confederation competitions as they are not recognised as an AFC club.
Fixtures and results
Positions by round
Leader and qualification to AFC Champions League group stage, Finals series, FFA Cup round of 32 | |
Qualification to Finals series, FFA Cup round of 32 | |
Qualification to FFA Cup round of 32 |
Finals series
Elimination-finals | Semi-finals | Grand Final | |||||||
1st placed | |||||||||
3rd placed | Lowest ranked elimination-final winner | ||||||||
6th placed | Highest ranked semi-final winner | ||||||||
Lowest ranked semi-final winner | |||||||||
2nd placed | |||||||||
4th placed | Highest ranked elimination-final winner | ||||||||
5th placed |
Elimination-finals
TBC | 3rd placed | – | 6th placed | TBD |
TBC | Stadium: TBD |
TBC | 4th placed | – | 5th placed | TBD |
TBC | Stadium: TBD |
Semi-finals
TBC | 1st placed | – | Lowest ranked elimination-final winner | TBD |
TBC | Stadium: TBD |
TBC | 2nd placed | – | Highest ranked elimination-final winner | TBD |
TBC | Stadium: TBD |
Grand Final
TBC | Highest ranked semi-final winner | – | Lowest ranked semi-final winner | TBD |
TBC | Stadium: TBD |
Statistics
Top scorers
- As of 9 February 2021[73]
See also
- 2020–21 Adelaide United FC season
- 2020–21 Brisbane Roar FC season
- 2020–21 Central Coast Mariners FC season
- 2020–21 Macarthur FC season
- 2020–21 Melbourne City FC season
- 2020–21 Melbourne Victory FC season
- 2020–21 Newcastle Jets FC season
- 2020–21 Perth Glory FC season
- 2020–21 Sydney FC season
- 2020–21 Wellington Phoenix FC season
- 2020–21 Western Sydney Wanderers FC season
- 2020–21 Western United FC season
References
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Popovic's assistant Hayden Foxe will serve as Glory's interim coach...
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signed a long-term deal that elevates him to marquee next season
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Kruse to fill the second and final designated player...
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Melbourne Victory - Coach: Grant Brebner, Captain: Leigh Broxham
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Topor-Stanley is the Jets vice captain
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Fornaroli, a marquee signing for the next two seasons
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...while Diego Castro and Neil Kilkenny have been named captain and vice-captain respectively.
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