To help our Hyundai A-League clubs who have arduous ACL games and travel to contend with, next season there will be a split round.
For the first time a round will be split over two weekends to help Adelaide United, Western Sydney Wanderers and Brisbane Roar (if they make it through the ACL qualifier) to deal with a heavy stretch of matches during the ACL group stage.
It will happen in Round 23, with the first weekend (March 11-13) seeing the sides not involved in the ACL meet: Sydney FC will host the Mariners on Friday night before Victory do battle with Glory 24 hours later.
The other three matches (Adelaide v Brisbane, Wanderers v Wellington Phoenix plus Melbourne City v Newcastle Jets) will take place the following weekend from March 17-19.
Fixture focus: Summer of Football
“We all know the problems that the Champions League creates, the stresses that it puts on our coaches and players with the travel,” FFA CEO David Gallop said.
“I think the split round will be a really important part of the season at that point…it gives our clubs the best chance possible in the group stage.”
