Auckland FC Clinch Historic A-League Premiership in Inaugural Season

MELBOURNE, Australia (PS) — Auckland FC secured the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League Premiership on Saturday, becoming the first New Zealand club to claim the title in the competition’s history.

The expansion side clinched the Premiers Plate with two matches to spare after Melbourne City was held to a scoreless draw by Adelaide United at AAMI Park. The result left Auckland with an unassailable five-point lead atop the table.

Steve Corica’s team will celebrate the achievement Sunday when it hosts Perth Glory at Go Media Stadium, turning the home match into a coronation in front of their supporters.

It marks Auckland’s first major trophy in its inaugural season and continues a remarkable run of form. The Black Knights are unbeaten in their last 13 matches and have set several league records along the way.

Earlier this season, Auckland set a new national league record for the longest period without conceding a goal, surpassing Western Suburbs’ 47-year-old mark. The club’s six consecutive victories to start the campaign also broke the record for the best start by a debutant team in Australian national league history.

Additionally, Auckland recorded five straight clean sheets, breaking a 38-year-old record held by Preston for the longest streak without conceding to open a season.

With the top seed secured, Auckland will bypass the opening week of the Finals Series. Instead, they will await the outcome of the elimination finals, where the third-place team faces the sixth-place team, and the fourth-place team meets the fifth-place finisher. Melbourne City, Western Sydney Wanderers, Melbourne Victory and Western United are vying for the remaining semifinal spots.

The winners of the two-legged semifinals will meet in the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final scheduled for the weekend of May 31 to June 1.

Auckland’s meteoric rise not only establishes a new benchmark for expansion clubs but signals a new era for New Zealand football on the A-League stage.