Beleaguered A-Leagues club Western United has been placed into hibernation by league operators Australian Professional Leagues (APL) after a string of financial crises led to the revocation of its playing license and the liquidation of its parent company, Western Melbourne Group.
As a result, Western United will not compete in either the 2025/26 A-League Men or A-League Women seasons. The Melbourne-based side, however, will continue to run its academy programs during the hiatus.
The decision marks the culmination of a chaotic four months for the club. It began on May 1 with a FIFA registration ban following a dispute with former star striker Aleksandar Prijovic. Soon after, a takeover attempt by KAM Melbourne collapsed, while the Western Melbourne Group entered liquidation. Football Australia’s First Instance Board subsequently revoked the club’s license, leaving chairman Jason Sourasis and director of football Steve Horvat facing legal scrutiny from the Australian Tax Office.
With Western United sidelined, the A-Leagues have proceeded with releasing fixtures for the 2025/26 season, now reduced to 12 men’s teams and 11 women’s teams.
The fallout has left more than 40 players from both squads as free agents, free to sign with other clubs. Among them are captain Ben Garuccio, midfield standout Angus Thurgate, and imports Hiroshi Ibusuki, Tomoki Imai, and Charbel Shamoon — the latter fresh from his first Iraq national team call-up.
On the coaching front, women’s head coach Kat Smith had already parted ways with the club prior to the collapse, while the future of men’s head coach John Aloisi remains unclear.
Despite the turmoil, Western United has vowed to regroup with the aim of returning to the A-Leagues in the 2026/27 season, provided the club can once again meet Football Australia’s national club licensing criteria.