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A-League Women Soccer League

The Women’s National Soccer League (WNSL) was the top female soccer league in Australia between 1996 and 2004. It was discontinued along with the Men’s National Soccer League in 2004. The A-League Women, formerly known as the W-League, is the top-division women’s football league in Australia.

The W-League was established in 2008 by Soccer Australia (formerly known as Soccer Federation Australia) and was originally composed of eight teams, Which included an A-League men’s club of seven. As of the 2022–23 season, a record twelve runs remain in the league. The league, as well as the A-League Men and A-League Youth are supported by the Australian professional leagues.

The season now runs from November to April and consists of a 23-round regular season with a Final Series playoff tournament at the end of the season involving the highest-placed players, culminating in a Grand Final match. The winner of the regular season tournament is called the “Premier” and the winner of the Grand Final is called the “Champion”. The Premier League qualifies for the AFC Women’s Champions League starting in the 2024–25 season.

Following the league’s inaugural season, a total of five clubs were crowned premiers and five clubs were crowned champions. It currently operates on a semi-professional basis, but conversations about professionalism are emerging, The initial name change and retention of all women’s clubs in 2021 into a single Australian professional league operation and management served as the A-League Women’s entry point to full professionalism.

Melbourne City is the current premier, having won its third title; Sydney FC are the current champions, having won their fifth title. Until March 2024, players are contracted for 35 weeks for a 22-round regular season, with four additional weeks for players in the finals. From September 2024, the league will be known as the Ninja A-League Women, with the current naming rights document held by home appliance company SharkNinja.