With the draw for the 2024/25 A-League Men’s season now released, excitement is beginning to grow for the upcoming season.
Under new coach Alen Stajcic, the Wanderers will look to make CommBank Stadium a fortress once again as they look to return to the finals and fight for silverware with an exciting young side.
To get fans excited for the season ahead, here are five key home games facing the Red & Black this season!
Round 1 (Saturday 19th October 2024): Sydney Derby season opener
There will be no gentle A-League introduction for Stajcic, as he will get his first taste of the Sydney Derby in round one as we host our crosstown rivals at Wanderland.
It is always the first game on the calendar the fans look for, and CommBank Stadium will be a sea of Red & Black on opening weekend as the Red and Black Bloc look to cheer the boys on to a winning start in the season and to get the mental edge over their rivals early.
It is a game full of passion and fight, with sparks flying in almost every fixture, especially as the clubs have been battling for places in the finals over the last few seasons.
The Wanderers were undone by a quick start from the visitors in their only home derby last season, and will be keen to avenge the defeat and set their season up for success.
Round 3 (Saturday 2nd November 2024) vs Adelaide United
Round 3 will see the Wanderers play in their second home match of the season when Adelaide United come to town.
The Saturday night blockbuster is set to be a fiery encounter with the rivalry between the two sides growing every season.
It’ll be a difficult test against an Adelaide side looking to bounce back from a disappointing season.
Whilst they have lost star player Nestory Irankunda, they always pose a tough test, with matches between the sides often going down to the wire.
The Wanderers did complete the double over the Reds last season, and will hope that form continues.
Round 11 (Wednesday 1st January 2025) New Years Traditional game vs Macarthur FC
Everyone likes a bit of tradition, and that’s continuing this season as the Wanderers once again play their annual New Year’s Day game at home against local foes Macarthur FC.
It is a fixture that has treated the Wanderers kindly, with Western Sydney comfortably winning the last two New Year’s Day games against the same opposition, with Macarthur failing to win in their last three trips to Wanderland.
Stajcic and co. will be hoping for a win that sets a platform for a successful 2025.
Round 15 (Friday 17th January 2025) Treble winners visit vs Central Coast Mariners
Central Coast may have won everything in their wake last season, but the Wanderers will be looking to bring them down a peg or two when the Mariners visit in mid-January.
Fixtures against the boys from Gosford have produced some brilliant battles, especially in the early years and in the 2020s as both sides have fought towards the top of the table.
The Wanderers famously knocked the Mariners out in the 2014 preliminary final at the old Parramatta Stadium, and also defeated Central Coast in their first A-League match at the reborn Wanderland in 2019; the Mariners narrowly won the fixture between the sides at
CommBank Stadium last year, giving the Wanderers motivation to get revenge.
It will also pit Stajcic against one of his former clubs, as he was the coach of the Mariners between 2019-2021.
Round 27 (Saturday 19th April 2025) Final home game of the season vs Melbourne City
The final home game of the season will once again see the Wanderers host Melbourne City in what could be a pivotal match in the race for finals places or silverware.
The two sides were engaged in a tight battle for the finals spots last season, with the Melbourne side narrowly winning out thanks in part to a victory at CommBank Stadium in the reverse fixture.
The Wanderers did defeat City during Unite Round at CommBank Stadium, and will hope to make a statement of intent at the end of the season against a traditional heavyweight side.
