The A-League fixture for the upcoming campaign has been released and there are several key matches to look out for.
The season will kick off on Friday 11 October at Coopers Stadium, with Adelaide United hosting Sydney FC. The following night will see a Melbourne Derby take place at Marvel Stadium, while on the Sunday, Western United will travel to New Zealand and face Wellington Phoenix in their first ever competitive match.
The first Sydney Derby will take place in the third round and will be held at the new Bankwest Stadium. Another Sydney Derby will be played at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in February, which promises to deliver a magical atmosphere.
A Grand Final rematch between Perth Glory and Sydney FC is scheduled for Round Seven at HBF Park, with the Glory determined to make amends for their end to last season.
In addition to playing their home matches at Geelong’s GMHBA Stadium, Western United will also face off at Ballarat’s Mars Stadium four times.
Likewise, Brisbane Roar will balance out their home matches at both Suncorp Stadium and Dolphin Stadium.
With Asian Champions League commitments taking place next year, the traditional Australia Day Big Blue has been brought back to Friday 24 January. Regardless, this match promises to be a fiery encounter and a great atmosphere awaits the two clubs.
Split rounds have been abolished, with byes instead accommodating busy periods.
The fixture format has also changed, and teams will not play everyone three times – this has been changed to two times, with only few clubs playing each other three times.
An exciting A-League season awaits us and many changes have occurred.
A new club, new venues and a different format will feature next season and hopefully will give a boost to Australian football.
