The Australian league system for football (soccer) is a series of leagues

League system

A league system is a hierarchy of leagues in a sport, usually with a system of promotion and relegation between consecutive levels of the hierarchy. They are often called pyramids due to their tendency to split into an increasing number of regional divisions the further down the pyramid one descends...

 for club soccer in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 (although in the top tier includes a team from New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

). The league system in Australia since 1977 has involved a one divisional league controlled by the national body

Football Federation Australia

Football Federation Australia is the governing body for the sport of football in Australia. Before 1 January 2005, it was known as the Australian Soccer Association , which succeeded Soccer Australia in this role in 2003...

 and many leagues run within each state

States and territories of Australia

The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...

 below. Unlike the English football league system

English football league system

The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing...

, it has does not incorporate a full promotion and relegation

Promotion and relegation

In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...

 system between leagues at different levels.

Structure

There isn't a defined structure of the Australian league system, mainly due to promotion and relegation not being possible between leagues and divisions. The highest level of soccer in Australia is simple to find due to it being the only nationwide competition in the country. From the equivalent of tier 2 onwards, it is more difficult to judge as Tasmania

Tasmania

Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...

 and Northern Territory

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...

 do not run a state wide competition, and Northern New South Wales Football

Northern New South Wales Football

Northern New South Wales Football is the governing body for football of the northern zone of New South Wales, Australia. It is a member of the national governing body, the Football Federation of Australia.-NBN State Football League:...

 is split into a different league to the NSW Premier League. This therefore creates six 'state' premier competitions and five 'regional' competitions, which cover only a region of a state. It is difficult to compare these regional levels of soccer to the rest of the league system, but in this case are placed in limbo

Limbo

In the theology of the Catholic Church, Limbo is a speculative idea about the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the damned. Limbo is not an official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church or any other...

 between what is commonly tier 2 and tier 3 of the league structure. Tier 3 can be defined as the league below one of these two leagues and a league below that for tier 4 with the pattern continuing down to tier 14, which contains Victorian Third League, the lowest tier that is part of a league structure.

In New South Wales, due to the large number of players in that state, competitions below State League Division 2 are organised by a series of local associations who are affiliated to Football NSW.

Level	League(s)/Division(s)
National	A-League A-League The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company... 10 clubs (including 1 from New Zealand)
State	ACT Premier League ACT Premier League The ACT Premier League, known as the Gatorade Premier League for sponsorship reasons, is an association football competition contested by clubs affiliated to Capital Football... 9 clubs	NSW Premier League 12 clubs	Victorian Premier League Victorian Premier League The Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League... 12 clubs	Football West Premier League Football West Premier League The Football West Premier Division is the highest league in the Football West State League, the top tier of football competition in Western Australia.... 12 clubs	Queensland State League Queensland State League (association football) The Hyundai Queensland State League, often abbreviated to the QSL, is a men's semi-professional association football league in the Australian state of Queensland... 11 clubs	South Australian Super League South Australian Super League The South Australian Super League is the highest state-level association football competition in South Australia and commenced in 2006. Prior to the 2006 season, the highest level competition in South Australia was the South Australian Premier League. Nationally, it is one grade lower than the... 10 clubs
Regional	NBN State Football League NBN State Football League The Northern New South Wales State Football League, or as it is more commonly known as the NBN State Football League for sponsorship purposes, is the premier association football league in the Hunter Valley and Newcastle region. It is governed by Northern New South Wales Football... 8 clubs	Southern Premier League Southern Premier League (Tasmania) The Tasmania South Premier League is, jointly with the Tasmania North Premier League, the highest level association football competition in Tasmania. Nationally, it is one grade lower than the A-League and is controlled by the Football Federation Tasmania... 10 clubs	Northern Premier League Northern Premier League (Tasmania) The Tasmania North Premier League is the highest level of association football competition in Northern Tasmania. Nationally, it is one grade lower than the A-League and is controlled by the Football Federation Tasmania , the state's governing body... 9 clubs	NorZone Premier League 8 clubs	Central Australia A-Grade 6 clubs
3	ACT Division 1 NSW Super League NewFM Football League NewFM Football League The Northern New South Wales Football League Division Two or the NewFM Football League, NewFM First Division Football League or just the NewFM Division for sponsorship reasons, is an Australian football league in the North of New South Wales. It is the second tier of football in the Northern New... Victorian State League Division 1 Victorian State League Division 1 The Victorian State League Division 1 is the second tier association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and the third nationally, including the A-League... Football West State League Division One Football West State League Division One The Football West State League Division One is the second highest state level football competition in Western Australia. The league is semi-professional and is conducted by Football West, the state's football governing body which is sanctioned by FIFA.- Structure :The league operates with a... Brisbane Premier League Brisbane Premier League Brisbane Premier League is the first tier of senior football league in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, run by Football Brisbane . After a 26 match regular season, the top 6 teams on the league table qualify for the finals series... Gold Coast Premier League South Australian Premier League South Australian Premier League The South Australian Premier League is now the second-highest state-level football competition in South Australia. It is conducted by the Football Federation of South Australia , the state's governing body. Prior to the 2006 season, this was the highest level competition in South Australia... Football Tasmania Northern Division 1 Football Tasmania Southern Division 1 Southern League One (Tasmania) The Tasmania Southern League One sits below the Southern Premier League and is controlled by the Football Federation Tasmania . The league includes teams from Hobart and Southern Tasmania.-2011 Southern League One Clubs:- Champions:... NorZone All-Age Division 1 Central Australia B-Grade
4	ACT Division 2 NSW State League Division One Interdistrict Division One Interdistrict Division One The Northern New South Wales Interdistrict Division One, Interdistrict Division One or just the ID1s is an Australian football league in the North of New South Wales. It is the third tier of football in the Northern New South Wales Football 5-tier system behind the NBN State League and New FM 1st... Victorian State League Division 2 Football West Amateur League Premier Brisbane Premier League Division 1 Gold Coast First Division South Australian State League South Australian State League The South Australian State League is now the third-tier state-level football competition in South Australia. It is conducted by the Football Federation of South Australia , the state's governing body. Each season, the top two clubs are promoted to the Premier League while the bottom two sides in... Football Tasmania Southern Division 2 NorZone All-Age Division 2 Central Australia Corporate League
5	ACT Division 3 New South Wales State League Division Two Interdistrict Division Two Interdistrict Division Two The Northern New South Wales Interdistrict Division Two, Interdistrict Division Two or just the ID2s is an Australian football league in the North of New South Wales. It is the fourth tier of football in the Northern New South Wales Football 5-tier system behind the NBN State League, NEW FM First... Victorian State League Division 3 Football West Amateur League Division 1 Brisbane Premier League Division 2 Brisbane Premier League Division 2 Brisbane Premier Division 2 is the third tier of senior football competition in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, run by Football Brisbane.-Clubs:The twelve clubs for season 2010 are:- External links :* * * *... Gold Coast Second Division South Australian Amateur Soccer Premier League South Australian Amateur Soccer League The South Australian Amateur Soccer League run the largest football competition in South Australia. The League comprises as many as 6 divisions competing on Saturday and another 10 divisions on Sundays with as many as 90 clubs participating.... (Saturday and Sunday) Football Tasmania Southern Division 3
6	ACT Division 4 Interdistrict Division Three Interdistrict Division Three The Northern New South Wales Interdistrict Division Three, Interdistrict Division Three or just the ID3s is an Australian football league in the North of New South Wales. It is the fifth and bottom tier of football in the Northern New South Wales Football 5-tier system behind the NBN State League,... Victorian Provisional League Division 1 Football West Amateur League Division 2 Brisbane Metro Division 1 Metropolitan 1 Metro 1 is the fourth tier of senior football competition in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, run by Football Brisbane.In the 2010 season, Holland Park Hawks and Narangba United were promoted to Brisbane Premier League Division 2.-Current Clubs:The eleven clubs for season 2011 are:-Changes in... South Australian Amateur Soccer Division 2 (Saturday and Sunday) Football Tasmania Southern Division 4			Albury Wodonga Football Association Premier League Bankstown District Football Association Premier League 1 Blacktown District Football Association Premier League Canterbury District Soccer Football Association All Age 1 Canterbury District Soccer Football Association All Age Sunday 1 Central Coast Football Premier League Football NSW Western Premier Soccer League (Bathurst, Lithgow, Orange) Eastern Suburbs Football Association Premier League Eurobodalla Soccer Association All Age Men Far South Coast Football All Age Men Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association Premier League Granville & District Football Association Premier League Griffith & District Football Association Win Cup 1st Grade Highlands Soccer Association All Age 1 Ku-ring-gai & District Football Association All Age 1 Lachlan Amateur Soccer Association League Macarthur District Football Association M-League Manly-Warringah Football Association Premier League Shoalhaven District Soccer Association Premier League A Illawarra Football Association Premier League Southern Districts Soccer Football Association Premier League A Southern Tablelands Football Association All Age 1 St George Soccer Football Association Premier League Sutherland Shire Football Association Premier League Sydney Amateur Football League Division 1 Football Wagga Wagga Pascoe Cup
7	ACT Division 5 Victorian Provisional League Division 2 Football West Amateur League Division 3 Brisbane Metro Division 2 South Australian Amateur Soccer Division 3 (Saturday and Sunday)			Bankstown District Football Association Premier League 2 Bathurst District Football 1st/2nd grade Blacktown District Football Association All Age 1 Canterbury District Soccer Football Association All Age 2 Central Coast Football First Division Dubbo & District Soccer Association All Age Men Eastern Suburbs Football Association All Age 1 Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association Super League Granville & District Football Association Senior Division 1 Highlands Soccer Association All Age 2 Ku-ring-gai & District Football Association All Age 2 Lithgow Soccer Association League Macarthur District Football Association All Age 1 Manly-Warringah Football Association All Age 1 Nepean District Soccer Football Association Premier League 2 Orange & District Football Association A Division Shoalhaven District Soccer Association Premier League B Illawarra Football Association Division 1 Southern Districts Soccer Football Association Premier League B Southern Tablelands Football Association All Age 2 St George Soccer Football Association All Age A Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 2 Sydney Amateur Football League Division 2 Football Wagga Wagga Nankivell Cup
8	ACT Division 6 Victorian Provisional League Division 3 Football West Amateur League Division 4 Brisbane Metro Division 3 South Australian Amateur Soccer Division 4			Albury Wodonga Football Association Premier League Bankstown District Football Association All Age 3 Bathurst District Football 3rd grade Blacktown District Football Association All Age 2 Canterbury District Soccer Football Association All Age 3 Central Coast Football All Age 1 Eastern Suburbs Football Association All Age 2 Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 1 Granville & District Football Association Senior Division 2 Highlands Soccer Association All Age 3 Ku-ring-gai & District Football Association All Age 3 Macarthur District Football Association All Age 2 Manly-Warringah Football Association All Age 2 Nepean District Soccer Football Association All Age 1 Orange & District Football Association B Division Shoalhaven District Soccer Association First Grade Illawarra Football Association District League Southern Districts Soccer Football Association All Age 1 St George Soccer Football Association All Age B Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 3 Football Wagga Wagga Leonard Cup Madden Shield
9	ACT Division 7 Victorian Metropolitan League Geelong Football League Division 1 Football West Amateur League Division 5 Brisbane Metro Division 4 South Australian Amateur Soccer Division 5			Bankstown District Football Association All Age 4 Bathurst District Football 4th grade Blacktown District Football Association All Age 3 Canterbury District Soccer Football Association All Age 4 Central Coast Football All Age 2 Eastern Suburbs Football Association All Age 3 Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 2 Granville & District Football Association Senior Division 3 Ku-ring-gai & District Football Association All Age 4 Macarthur District Football Association All Age 3 Manly-Warringah Football Association All Age 3 Nepean District Soccer Football Association All Age 2 Orange & District Football Association C Division Shoalhaven District Soccer Association Reserve Grade Southern Districts Soccer Football Association All Age 2 St George Soccer Football Association All Age C Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 4
10	ACT Division 8 Victorian Third League Division 1 Brisbane Metro Division 5 Geelong Football League Division 2 South Australian Amateur Soccer Division 6			Bankstown District Football Association All Age 5 Blacktown District Football Association All Age 4 Canterbury District Soccer Football Association All Age 5 Central Coast Football All Age 3 Eastern Suburbs Football Association All Age 4 Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 3 Granville & District Football Association Senior Division 4 Ku-ring-gai & District Football Association All Age 5 Macarthur District Football Association All Age 4 Manly-Warringah Football Association All Age 4 Nepean District Soccer Football Association All Age 3 Shoalhaven District Soccer Association Third Grade Southern Districts Soccer Football Association All Age 3 St George Soccer Football Association All Age D Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 5
11	ACT Division 9 Victorian Third League Division 2 Brisbane Metro Division 6 Geelong Football League Division 3 South Australian Amateur Soccer Division 7			Bankstown District Football Association All Age 6 Blacktown District Football Association All Age 5 Canterbury District Soccer Football Association All Age 6 Central Coast Football All Age 4 Eastern Suburbs Football Association All Age 5 Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 4 Granville & District Football Association Senior Division 5 Ku-ring-gai & District Football Association All Age 6 Macarthur District Football Association All Age 5 Manly-Warringah Football Association All Age 5 Nepean District Soccer Football Association All Age 4 Southern Districts Soccer Football Association All Age 4 St George Soccer Football Association All Age E Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 6
12	ACT Division 10 Victorian Third League Division 3			Bankstown District Football Association All Age 7 Blacktown District Football Association All Age 6 Canterbury District Soccer Football Association All Age 7 Central Coast Football All Age 5 Eastern Suburbs Football Association All Age 6 Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 5 Granville & District Football Association Senior Division 6 Ku-ring-gai & District Football Association All Age 7 Macarthur District Football Association All Age 6 Manly-Warringah Football Association All Age 6 Nepean District Soccer Football Association All Age 5 Southern Districts Soccer Football Association All Age 5 St George Soccer Football Association All Age F Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 7
13	Victorian Third League Division 4			Bankstown District Football Association All Age 8 Blacktown District Football Association All Age 7 Canterbury District Soccer Football Association All Age 8 Central Coast Football All Age 6 Eastern Suburbs Football Association All Age 7 Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 6 Granville & District Football Association Senior Division 7 Macarthur District Football Association All Age 7 Manly-Warringah Football Association All Age 7 Nepean District Soccer Football Association All Age 6 Southern Districts Soccer Football Association All Age 6 Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 8
14	Victorian Third League Division 5			Bankstown District Football Association All Age 9 Blacktown District Football Association All Age 8 Canterbury District Soccer Football Association All Age 9 Central Coast Football All Age 7 Eastern Suburbs Football Association All Age 8 Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 7 Granville & District Football Association Senior Division 8 Macarthur District Football Association All Age 8 Manly-Warringah Football Association All Age 7B Nepean District Soccer Football Association All Age 7 Southern Districts Soccer Football Association All Age 7 Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 9
15	Central Coast Football All Age 8 Eastern Suburbs Football Association All Age 9 Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 8 Granville & District Football Association Senior Division 9 Macarthur District Football Association All Age 9 Nepean District Soccer Football Association All Age 8 Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 10
16	Central Coast Football All Age 9 Eastern Suburbs Football Association All Age 10 Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 9 Granville & District Football Association Senior Division 10 Macarthur District Football Association All Age 10 Nepean District Soccer Football Association All Age 8B Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 11
17	Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 10 Eastern Suburbs Football Association Premier League Granville & District Football Association Senior Division 11 Macarthur District Football Association All Age 11 Nepean District Soccer Football Association All Age 9 Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 12
18	Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 11 Granville & District Football Association Senior Division 12 Nepean District Soccer Football Association All Age 9B Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 13
19	Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 12 Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 14
20	Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 13 Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 15
21	Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 14 Sutherland Shire Football Association All Age 16
22	Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 15
23	Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 16
24	Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 17
25	Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 18
26	Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 19
27	Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 20
28	Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 21
29	Gladesville-Hornsby Football Association All Age 22

Previous Structures

Prior to the first A-League season in 2005, the National Soccer League

National Soccer League

The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...

 sat from 1977-2004 as the top nation-wide tier of the structure above the current state based league systems.

Womens Structure

Since 2008 the W-League

W-League (Australia)

The W-League is the preeminent women's semi-professional football league in Australia. Established in 2008, it is composed of eight teams - seven of them are affiliated with seven of the Australian clubs currently in the A-League, with the eighth team based in Canberra...

 with 7 teams aligned to A-League clubs sits as the top nation-wide women's league above state based league systems. Prior to the W-League the Women's National Soccer League

Women's National Soccer League

The Women’s National Soccer League was Australia's top women's football league and was the breeding ground of many of Australia's world-class players....

ran nation-wide from 1996-2004.