More games at some of the country’s leading football venues and expanded broadcast coverage are among the highlights of the full A-League / Women’s season draw that was released today.
Featuring 32 double headers among 70 regular-season games, along with an expanded finals series, the new campaign will be contested by 10 teams for the first time after the admission of Wellington Phoenix to the competition.
The balance of the 2021/22 A-League / Women’s draw was released today after border restrictions and quarantine requirements had meant only the first four rounds could be drawn up previously.
The 32 doubleheaders will be played at grounds with the highest level of broadcast capability, while at least a further six standalone games will also be played at Tier 1 venues.
With this season featuring the inaugural A-Leagues Club Championship, a trophy awarded to the club with the most success across both the men’s and women’s leagues, the doubleheaders will offer fans “six-pointers” in the battle to be crowned Australia’s most successful football club overall.
The A-Leagues’ partnership with 10 ViacomCBS will mean live free-to-air coverage of a top billing A-League / Women’s match on 10 Bold at 4:00pm every Sunday, with the remaining games available on Paramount+.
The season kicks off on 3rd December with the debut of Wellington Phoenix’ women’s team, who take on Western Sydney Wanderers FC at WIN stadium. Reigning champions, Melbourne Victory, will launch their campaign for back-to-back championships on 4th December as they take on the Adelaide United at AAMI Park.
The first four rounds of the season will be played under a conference system, before the relaxation of state borders and quarantine rules allows for the draw to return to a national basis.
“An absolute priority for us has been to ensure the highest levels of broadcast quality for the A-Leagues / Women games this season, and the draw as it has been laid out allows us to do precisely that,” said A-Leagues Commissioner Greg O’Rourke.
“The doubleheaders we have scheduled allow our clubs to stage both their men’s and women’s teams in top-quality stadiums for their fans, and mean that the football will not stop flowing on Paramount+.
“We’re also delighted to welcome Wellington Phoenix Women into the competition, giving us more games than ever before.”
The A-League / Women finals series will be expanded to include a preliminary final, before culminating in the grand final on 27 March, 2022. The additional round, offers the season’s first and second placed teams two options to make the grand final, with third and fourth places facing a sudden death playoff.
Tickets are available via club websites for opening rounds, with following rounds to be released shortly.
