A suburban soccer club in Perth’s south could soon be WA’s newest domestic team after pitching to be part of Football Australia’s plans for a national second division.
NPL WA side Cockburn City were the only Perth team among the 32 clubs named by the governing body to have submitted an expression of interest to join the proposed national second-tier competition.
The competition will sit below the A-League, and while promotion and relegation between the leagues will not be established when it kicks off in 2024, connecting the tiers is a long-term goal.
Perth SC and Bayswater City were WA’s founding members of the Association of Australian Football Clubs partner group, a coalition of 35 semi-professional clubs from around the country, with the goal of establishing a national second division competition
But neither submitted an expression of interest, leaving Cockburn — and their partnership with the Spearwood Dalmatinac Club — as WA’s only representative on the shortlist.
With the league expected to involve 10-16 teams and feature 24-36 games a season, there is no guarantee Cockburn will be part of the initial intake.
Following the evaluation of applications, the next phase of the process involves teams submit detailed proposals and is expected to run from April to June this year.
Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said he was excited by the strong response from clubs across the country.
“We underwent a lengthy consultation process last year so we knew there would be great interest and we are thrilled with the level of interest shown … and the calibre of clubs which have expressed their interest,” he said.
“It is also pleasing to see that we have received submissions from right across Australia, demonstrating our football clubs have a deep desire and aspiration to compete at a national level. The national second tier provides the perfect platform for them to do so.
“Australian football has undergone a journey of transformation over the last two years, and the establishment of a national second tier which reconnects and realigns Australian football competitions is an important element of Football Australia’s 15-year vision for the game.”
