# Australian soccer league system

The Australian soccer league system is the league structure for soccer clubs in Australia. The league system in Australia since 1977 has involved one top divisional league controlled by Football Australia and many leagues run within each state below.
The National Soccer League (NLS) stood from 1977 to 2004 as the top nationwide tier above the current state-based league systems. In 2005, the A-League (now A-League Men) was established as its successor.
The introduction of the National Premier Leagues (NPL) in 2013 introduced a direct second tier of soccer in Australia, underpinning the A-League. The NPL incorporated the existing state leagues as divisions with a nationwide end of season finals series, rebranding five of the nine top state leagues. The remainder – with the exception of the Northern Territory – joined in 2014.
There is no promotion and relegation to and from the top-tier A-League, and promotion and relegation at other levels varies between different state systems.

## Table

The table excludes parallel leagues such as the A-League Women. The women's soccer league system in Australia is similar to that of the men's.
| Level | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues | Leagues |
| 1 | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation | A-League Men 13 clubs (2 from New Zealand) no relegation |
| 2 | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) | National Premier Leagues 94 clubs (from 8 divisions) | Football Northern Territory 12 clubs (from 2 divisions) | Football Northern Territory 12 clubs (from 2 divisions) |
| 2 | NPL ACT 8 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1 | NPL ACT 8 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1 | NPL NSW 16 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1.5 | NPL Northern NSW 12 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1.5 | NPL Queensland 12 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 2 | NPL SA 12 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 2 | NPL Tasmania 8 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1.5 | NPL Tasmania 8 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1.5 | NPL Victoria 14 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 2 | NPL Victoria 14 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 2 | NPL Victoria 14 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 2 | NPL Victoria 14 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 2 | NPL WA 12 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1.75 | NorZone Premier League 8 clubs no promotion no relegation | Southern Zone Premier League 4 clubs no promotion no relegation |
| 3 | Capital Premier League 8 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation | Capital Premier League 8 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation | NSW League One 16 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1.5 | Northern League One 10 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1 | Queensland Premier League 1 11 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 1 | SA State League 1 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | Tasmania Northern Championship 8 clubs ↑ promote 0.75 no relegation | Tasmania Southern Championship 10 clubs ↑ promote 0.75 no relegation | Victorian Premier League 1 14 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | Victorian Premier League 1 14 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | Victorian Premier League 1 14 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | Victorian Premier League 1 14 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | WA State League 1 12 clubs ↑ promote 1.75 ↓ relegate 1.5 | NorZone Division 1 8 clubs no promotion | |
| 4 | Capital League 1 10 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1 | Capital League 1 10 clubs no promotion ↓ relegate 1 | NSW League Two 15 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 no relegation | Regional 7 districts no promotion | Queensland Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation | SA State League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation | Tasmania Northern Social League 1 9 clubs no promotion | Tasmania Southern Social League 1 6 clubs no promotion no relegation | Victorian Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | Victorian Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | Victorian Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | Victorian Premier League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | WA State League 2 12 clubs ↑ promote 1.5 ↓ relegate 1 | | |
| 5 | Capital League 2 10 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 1 | Capital League 2 10 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 1 | Regional 19 districts no promotion | | Regional 9 districts ↑ promote 1 | Regional 6 districts no promotion | | Tasmania Southern Social League 2 6 clubs no promotion no relegation | Vic State League 1 North-West 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 | Vic State League 1 North-West 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 | Vic State League 1 South-East 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 | Vic State League 1 South-East 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 | Regional 12 districts ↑ promote 1 | | |
| 6 | Capital League 3 10 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation | Capital League 3 10 clubs ↑ promote 1 no relegation | | | | | | Tasmania Southern Social League 3 6 clubs no promotion no relegation | Vic State League 2 North-West 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | Vic State League 2 North-West 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | Vic State League 2 South-East 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | Vic State League 2 South-East 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | | | |
| 7 | Capital League 4 10 clubs no promotion no relegation | Capital League 4 10 clubs no promotion no relegation | | | | | | Tasmania Southern Social League 4 8 clubs no promotion | Vic State League 3 North-West 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | Vic State League 3 North-West 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | Vic State League 3 South-East 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | Vic State League 3 South-East 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 ↓ relegate 2 | | | |
| 8 | Capital League 5 10 clubs no promotion no relegation | Capital League 5 10 clubs no promotion no relegation | | | | | | | Vic SL 4 North 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 | Vic SL 4 West 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 | Vic SL 4 South 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 | Vic SL 4 East 12 clubs ↑ promote 1 ↓ relegate 2 | | | |
| 9 | Capital League 6 10 clubs no promotion no relegation | Capital League 6 10 clubs no promotion no relegation | | | | | | | Vic SL 5 North 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation | Vic SL 5 West 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation | Vic SL 5 South 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation | Vic SL 5 East 12 clubs ↑ promote 2 no relegation | | | |
| 10 | Capital League 7 10 clubs no promotion no relegation | Capital League 7 10 clubs no promotion no relegation | | | | | | | Regional 15 districts no promotion | Regional 15 districts no promotion | Regional 15 districts no promotion | Regional 15 districts no promotion | | | |
| 11 | Capital League 8 10 clubs no promotion no relegation | Capital League 8 10 clubs no promotion no relegation | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Capital League 9 10 clubs no promotion no relegation | Capital League 9 10 clubs no promotion no relegation | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Capital League 10 Blue 10 clubs no promotion | Capital League 10 Gold 10 clubs no promotion | | | | | | | | | | | | | |