The Victorian Premier League (VPL) is an Australian soccer league based in Victoria that was founded in 2023 and administered by Football Victoria. It consists of two divisions that were named after the VPL's breakaway of the National Premier Leagues Victoria (NPL Victoria) second and third divisions, which had run in the NPL Victoria system from 2014 until 2023.[1]
 | |
| Founded | 4 October 2023[a] |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| State | Victoria |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of clubs | 28
|
| Level on pyramid | 3 and 4 |
| Promotion to | National Premier Leagues Victoria |
| Relegation to | Victorian State League |
| Domestic cup(s) | National Australia Cup State Dockerty Cup |
| Current champions | Melbourne Victory Youth (VPL 1) (2024) Melbourne Srbija (VPL 2) (2024) |
History
editIn October 2023, Football Victoria renamed the NPL Victoria second and third divisions to form the Victorian Premier League (VPL) as a prominent name to the previously named Victorian Premier League; a former name of the NPL Victoria first division. NPL 2 became VPL 1, and NPL 3 became VPL 2.[1] Melbourne Victory Youth were the inaugural champions of the VPL securing promotion to the NPL Victoria, whilst Melbourne Srbija became second division champions securing promotion to the leagues first division.[2]
Format
editAs of the 2025 season, the Victorian Premier League first and second divisions are contested by 14 teams each. Each team plays home and away against teams against all other teams in the league for a total of 26 fixtures each season. The top two finishing clubs the first division gain automatic promotion to National Premier Leagues Victoria, while those clubs finishing in positions 3rd through 6th play off for a promotion berth. The VPL first division's bottom three teams at the conclusion of the season are relegated to the VPL's second division, and the VPL second division's bottom three are relegated to the Victorian State League first division.[3]
Current members
editThese are the clubs who will take part in the 2025 Victorian Premier League.
Division 1
edit
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity | Club Heritage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bentleigh Greens | Cheltenham | Kingston Heath Soccer Complex | 3,300 | Cypriot (Greek) |
| Brunswick City | Brunswick West | Dunstan Reserve | 1,000 | Greek |
| Bulleen Lions | Bulleen | David Barro Stadium | 3,000 | Italian (Venetian) |
| Caroline Springs George Cross | Fraser Rise | City Vista Recreation Reserve | 3,000 | Maltese |
| Eastern Lions | Burwood | Gardiners Reserve | 1,500 | British |
| Kingston City | Clayton South | The Grange Reserve | 2,000 | Greek |
| Langwarrin | Langwarrin South | Lawton Park Reserve | 5,000 | Dutch |
| Manningham United Blues | Templestowe | Pettys Reserve | 1,000[4] | Italian |
| Melbourne City Youth | Cranbourne East | City Football Academy | 1,500 | N/A |
| Melbourne Srbija | Burnley | Kevin Bartlett Reserve | 2,500 | Serbian |
| Moreland City | Coburg | Campbell Reserve | 1,000[5] | British |
| Northcote City | Thornbury | John Cain Memorial Park | 5,000 | Greek |
| North Sunshine Eagles | St Albans | Larisa Reserve | 500 | Albanian |
| Western United Youth | Tarneit | Wyndham Regional Football Facility | 5,000 | N/A |
Division 2
edit 
| Club | Location | Grounds | Capacity | Club Heritage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altona City | Altona | HC Kim Reserve | 1,000 | Maltese and British |
| Boroondara-Carey Eagles | Bulleen | Carey Bulleen Sports Complex | 100 | Italian |
| Box Hill United | Box Hill | Wembley Park | 1,000 | Greek |
| Brunswick Juventus | Fawkner | CB Smith Reserve | 2,000 | Italian |
| Eltham Redbacks | Eltham North | Eltham North Reserve | 1,000 | Australian |
| Essendon Royals | Essendon | Cross Keys Reserve | 500 | Italian (Triestine) |
| Geelong SC | Corio | Stead Park | 1,500 | Macedonian |
| Goulburn Valley Suns | Shepparton | John McEwan Reserve | 3,200 | Australian |
| North Geelong Warriors | Lara | Elcho Park | 5,000 | Croatian |
| Nunawading City | Forest Hill | Mahoney's Reserve | 1,000 | Australian and Greek |
| Pascoe Vale | Fawkner | CB Smith Reserve | 2,000 | Macedonian (Vlach) |
| Springvale White Eagles | Keysborough | Serbian Sports Centre | 5,000 | Serbian |
| Werribee City | Werribee | Galvin Park Reserve | 1,000 | Italian |
| Whittlesea United | Lalor | Mosaic Reserve | 1,000 | Turkish |
Champions
edit| Season | Division 1 | Division 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Melbourne Victory Youth | Melbourne Srbija |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ The first division was founded in 2014 as National Premier Leagues Victoria 2, and the second division was founded in 2020 as National Premier Leagues Victoria 3, as part of the NPL Victoria system before they formed the Victorian Premier League in 2023.
References
edit- ^ a b "NPLM/W 2024 Update". Football Victoria. 11 October 2023. Archived from the original on 10 April 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ Deliyannis, James (12 October 2023). "Changes continue in Australian football". Neos Kosmos. Archived from the original on 4 March 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "NPLM and VPLM competition structures in 2025 & 2026". Football Victoria. 26 September 2024. Archived from the original on 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "Pettys Reserve Pitch 1". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Well Money Park Campbell Reserve Pitch 1". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 January 2024.