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Western United’s future in Australia’s top-flight football competition has been thrown into turmoil after Football Australia (FA) revoked the club’s licence, citing failure to meet key regulatory requirements.
The independent First Instance Board (FIB), established under the National Club Licensing Regulations, determined on Thursday that the financially troubled Victorian side had not satisfied the criteria to retain an A-League Men and Women licence. The decision takes immediate effect, blocking the club from competing in FA-sanctioned competitions.
The club, which won the A-League Men championship just three years ago, responded with disappointment and a pledge to appeal:
“Bitterly disappointed by the decision” taken by FA and the FIB, the club said it would be “exercising its right to appeal the decision with faith of a positive outcome as the sale of the club and injection of capital from KAM Melbourne continues to progress.”
APL executive chair Stephen Conroy said the league would wait for the outcome of the appeals process:
“We’ve been advised by Football Australia on the determination by FIB to withdraw Western United’s conditional licence. This is an FA, AFC and regulatory process, and we won’t comment further until the regulatory process and any appeal has been completed.”
FA says the licensing framework is intended to protect “the integrity, stability, and fairness” of competitions, with financial compliance a major pillar. While the original compliance deadline was May, several clubs, including Western United, were granted extensions until 31 July.
The club has faced mounting off-field pressures in recent months, including delayed wage payments, a FIFA-imposed transfer ban, and a winding-up process in the federal court over debts exceeding $16 million. Its latest financial filings show a loss of $11 million last year and liabilities outstripping assets by $55 million.
The licence cancellation also casts doubt over the $150 million Wyndham Stadium Precinct, a joint venture between Wyndham City Council, the Western Melbourne Group, and investors.
The club has until the end of the week to lodge its appeal, with a final decision expected later this month.
Featured Image Credit: Wyndham City Council, Instagram / @westernutdfc
