Formerly known as the A-League and W-League, Australia’s premier men’s and women’s competitions have been rebranded as ‘A-Leagues’.
The rebranding will see the men’s competition referred to as A-League Men, with the women’s league to be known as A-League Women.
Meanwhile, the Y-League, which showcases Australia’s top tier youth, will now be known as A-League Youth.
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The changes occurring are in response to the takeover by the Australian Professional Leagues (APL), which took control of Australia’s top tier leagues in December last year.
It’s the second significant gender-led move in sport over the last week, with cricket’s governing body, the ICC, changing its Laws of the game to be more inclusive, altering the word ‘batsman’ to ‘batter’.
In other changes by the APL, unified social media channels across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will represent the home of men’s and women’s football in the coming months, while the re-launch of a new A-Leagues website will also take place.
“It’s not men’s football, or women’s football, it’s just football,” said managing director Danny Townsend.
“We’re committed to growing the game in Australia – for everyone. That means delivering a world-class experience on and off the pitch and inspiring the next-generation of A-Leagues superstars to fulfil their highest potential.
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“This is just the beginning of our ambitious, long-term vision for the growth of football in Australia.”
APL Chief Commercial Officer Ant Hearne added: “We know our fans live and breathe football so we want to create the best possible experience in the stadium, at home, on the move, through gaming or fashion or food – however fans want to connect with football, we will deliver.”
The 2021-22 season for A-League Men will kick off on November 19. A-League Women will get going two weeks later on December 3.
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