Australian football was rocked on Friday by the bombshell announcement that Western United had been stripped of their playing licence, expelling the Melbourne-based club from both the A-League Men and A-League Women. The decision could spell the end for a fledgling side that only three years ago lifted the A-League Men championship.
Football Australia’s First Instance Board (FIB) – the independent body responsible for enforcing the national club licensing regulations – met on Thursday evening to review the club’s case. After deliberation, the board revoked Western United’s provisional license, ruling them ineligible to compete in either of Australia’s top-tier competitions.
The ruling was communicated to Football Australia officials on Friday morning, before being relayed to the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and the club.
“Football Australia can confirm that the First Instance Board – an independent entity established under the national club licensing regulations – met and concluded that Western United has failed to satisfy the criteria required for an A-League licence,” a Football Australia spokesperson said, as quoted by ESPN Asia.
“As a result, Western United’s licence has been withdrawn with immediate effect. While regrettable, this outcome reflects our ongoing commitment to preserving the integrity, stability, and fairness of competitions for all clubs, players, and stakeholders.”
The decision reportedly blindsided Western United officials, especially with the men’s team scheduled to play a pre-season fixture later that same evening. The Tarneit-based club has eight days to lodge an appeal – which it fully intends to do – with Football Australia required to respond within a further eight days.
“Western United is bitterly disappointed by the decision made by Football Australia and the First Instance Board today,” a club spokesperson said.
“The club will exercise its right to appeal, confident of a positive outcome, especially as the sale of the club and capital injection from KAM Melbourne continues to progress. As this remains a regulatory matter, the club will make no further comment at this stage.”
Football Australia confirmed that all other A-League clubs – including New Zealand-based clubs Wellington Phoenix and defending Premiers Auckland FC – have had their licenses approved for the upcoming season.
“We have been advised by Football Australia on the FIB’s determination to withdraw Western United’s conditional license,” APL chair Stephen Conroy said, as quoted by ESPN Asia. “This is a Football Australia, AFC, and regulatory process, so we will not comment further until the process and any appeal are concluded.”
The FIB’s ruling marks the culmination of months of financial instability at Western United. In March, the Western Melbourne Group (WMG) – the club’s parent company – faced a winding-up order in federal court against both its property and football divisions. Chairman Jason Sourasis and director of football Steve Horvat have also been locked in legal battles with the Australian Tax Office over their involvement with the club.
From April to June, players endured three consecutive months of delayed wage payments, prompting breach notices from players’ union Professional Football Australia. The men’s team remains under a FIFA registration ban due to an unpaid dispute with former striker Aleksandar Prijović.
While head coach John Aloisi signed a new two-year deal last month, several members of the men’s coaching staff departed during the off-season, and administrative staff have also faced wage delays.
Western’s hopes of survival now rest on a proposed $100 million takeover of its football and property assets by the Kaminski family – owners of KAM Sports – through their Melbourne-based arm KAM Melbourne. However, more than three months after the deal was announced, it has yet to be finalised, and the APL is believed to have not received a complete formal bid.
The Kaminskis have been linked to acquiring four other football clubs since 2021 but have yet to complete any takeover. Notably, their negotiations for Belgian club KV Kortrijk and Greek side Panetolikos progressed to public unveilings before collapsing amid allegations of missed payment deadlines and questionable conduct.
“Each opportunity had particular circumstances we were unable to overcome to complete the transaction,” Mikhail Kaminski told ESPN in May when asked about the failed acquisitions.
Reaction to Western United’s likely demise has been mixed within the Australian football community. While many expressed shock and disappointment, others lamented the club’s inability to build strong matchday attendances that could generate vital revenue.
The club’s decision to base itself in Tarneit – a small suburb in Melbourne’s west – was intended to draw fans from the surrounding areas of Werribee, Lalor, Corio, Laverton, and across the City of Wyndham. But in a market already dominated by two well-established giants, Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City, a third club inevitably struggled to make a significant impact. Critics have argued that if another Victorian side were to join the A-League, a more prominent regional centre such as Geelong or Ballarat would have been a more viable choice.
There has also been a touch of schadenfreude from supporters of Australia’s historic clubs – teams such as Wollongong Wolves, South Melbourne, Sydney United 58, and Brisbane Strikers – who believe that sides with deep history and established fan bases would have been better candidates for an A-League place.