Former championship winning team cut from A-Leagues
The Australian Professional Leagues have terminated Western United's A-Leagues participation agreement, meaning the club won't be returning to the top flight.
The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has terminated Western United's participation agreement in the A-League following the club's financial troubles. The team, once a championship-winning side, was removed from the competition in 2025 due to debt. Western United was granted a license in 2018 after promising to build their own stadium and won the ALM championship in 2021-22.
However, the club has struggled financially, often failing to pay players and staff. In September 2025, the APL placed the club into hibernation, forcing A-League Men and Women players to find new teams. West Melbourne Group, the club's owners, avoided a wind-up order in January by settling a $15.5 million tax debt but was again denied a license in May.
The APL officially terminated their participation agreement on Monday, and United expressed their desire to return to the A-League in the 2027-28 season under new ownership. Despite the club's recent efforts to rebuild, the APL has decided the partnership is no longer viable.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
