2005–06 A-League

29th season of top tier soccer league in Australia

The 2005–06 A League was the 29th season of top flight soccer in Australia, and the inaugural season of the A League. After over 12 months without a national professional club competition since the close of the 2003–04 National Soccer League season, the first match in the A League was played on 26 August 2005. The competition was made up of a triple round robin league stage before a championship playoff featuring the top four teams. Of the eight participants, four came from the National Soccer League (1977–2004): Perth Glory (established 1995), New Zealand Knights (1999), Newcastle Jets (2000) and Adelaide United (2003). New Zealand Knights had previously entered the NSL as the Auckland Football Kingz, but were significantly restructured and have a vastly different playing roster. Queensland Roar previously competed in the NSL from 1977 to 1988 and had competed in the Queensland State League since then as Brisbane Lions. Adelaide United were named Premiers after finishing the season seven points clear at the top of the league. The first A League Grand Final took place on 5 March 2006, with Sydney FC becoming the league's inaugural Champions, defeating the Central Coast Mariners 1–0.

Club Marquee Captain Vice Captain Adelaide United Qu Shengqing Ross Aloisi None Central Coast Mariners None Noel Spencer None Melbourne Victory Archie Thompson Kevin Muscat None New Zealand Knights None Danny Hay Darren Bazeley None Newcastle Jets Ned Zelic Ned Zelic None Perth Glorygroup=note|Deane's contract was mutually terminated part way through his marquee deal and he left mid season. None Queensland Roar None Chad Gibson None Sydney FC Dwight Yorke Mark Rudan None

Two competitions were held prior to the start of the A League season.

This three round competition was held in May 2005 to determine Australia's qualifier for the 2005 season of the Oceania Club Championship. It consisted of all Australian A League clubs (i. e. all clubs except for the New Zealand Knights) and granted Perth Glory – the reigning NSL champions – a bye into the semi finals. Sydney FC qualified for and subsequently won the 2005 Oceania Club Championship entitling it to a place in the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship to be played in Tokyo.

The inaugural pre season cup was held in July and August in the lead up to the start of the A League season. The competition featured a group stage and a knockout stage. Commentators did not give much weight to the competition as a guide for performance during the season proper, as injuries or club strategic policy ruled that many teams did not use their best players and often used experimental tactics.

The Central Coast Mariners were the inaugural Pre season Challenge Cup winners.

The A League season commenced on 26 August 2005 with two Friday night fixtures. Games each round were held throughout the weekend, though certain rounds also featured Thursday night games. As there was no concurrent cup competition, midweek fixtures were uncommon unless they were held on Australian public holidays. A three week break was also scheduled in December to coincide with the 2005 FIFA Club World Cup in Tokyo.

After the home and away season, the finals series began, with the top four teams. The finals series used a modified Page playoff system, with the difference that each first round game would be played over two legs. The winner of the finals series, Sydney FC was crowned as the A League champion. Adelaide United, as the holder of the top position on the league ladder, were named the 2005–06 premiers. Standard cup rules – such as the away goals rule (two leg ties only), extra time and penalty shootouts were used to decide drawn games.

Although Australia became a member of the Asian Football Confederation in 2006, Australian teams were not invited to participate in the 2006 AFC Champions League competition. The AFC later determined that qualification for the 2007 AFC Champions League would be based on the 2005–06 A League competition, despite that ACL matches will commence after the completion of the A League 2006–07 season. Adelaide as Premiers and Sydney as Champions were the representatives.