The 2025-26 Isuzu UTE A-League season is down to the final six teams and aleagues.com.au has everything you need to know ahead of week 1 of the Finals Series.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE
Auckland FC v Melbourne City
Saturday, May 2 – Go Media Stadium – 3:00pm AEST
MATCH CENTRE | BUY TICKETS | HOW TO WATCH
Final table position
Auckland FC: 3rd
Melbourne City: 6th
Auckland FC earned a home elimination final with Guillermo May’s late equaliser against Sydney FC in the final round.
After being Newcastle’s main challengers for the title for much of the year, missing out on the top two is a bit of a disappointment for Auckland.
Auckland and All Whites defender Nando Pijnaker addressed making it right when speaking at the Isuzu UTE A-League Finals Series launch on Monday.
“This is football. I guess we’re disappointed that we didn’t make the semi-finals straight away, but to win the Grand Final, we still need to beat all the best teams.
“If we just keep winning, then we’re going to win the whole thing. That’s the plan for us. That’s our aim. And yeah, it starts against Melbourne City.
“These are must win games, in a sense. So we know, obviously if you lose, you’re out.
“So we don’t want that to happen to us. We want to go there, we want to win the game. So we’re going to do everything we can to do that.
He continued: “We’re going to be at home, we’re going to hopefully have a lot of fans there in the stadium helping us and we want to go all the way, and it starts this Saturday.”
MUST READ: Ultimate guide to the 2026 Isuzu UTE A-League Finals Series
Melbourne City were the form side in the competition heading into the last round of the season having mustered a six-match unbeaten streak.
However a 99th minute winner for Adelaide is sending them the long way round in a bid to retain their Championship, with a trip to Auckland first up.
“We’ve done it before. We’ve gone to difficult places and if there’s anything that’s going to give this group confidence it’s the away games that we got wins in Asian Champions League,” said Melbourne City Captain and Socceroo Aziz Behich.
“We’re gonna have to go there at the right mentality, the right energy, obviously, the right game plan.
“But you know, it’s finals football. It’s a one off game. I always say it’s a lot different to the home and away (in the) league.
“It’s gonna be a difficult game, they’re a good side, it’s going to test us a lot and our group, but like I said, we’ll go there with confidence in the way we’ve been playing.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO AUCKLAND FC V MELBOURNE CITY
“The last couple of months, I think we’ve improved a lot, since the (Asian) Champions League stopped and we’ve got great results.
“So we’re going to go there full confidence, and hopefully a few players back from injury as well, which would obviously boost our team. So, yeah, look, it’s exciting.”
The last time these sides met was the end of February, Auckland running out 3-0 winners with goals from Logan Rogerson, Jesse Randall and Uruguayan striker May.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO AUCKLAND FC V MELBOURNE CITY
Melbourne Victory v Sydney FC
Saturday, May 2 – AAMI Park – 7:40pm AEST
MATCH CENTRE | BUY TICKETS | HOW TO WATCH
Current table position
Melbourne Victory: 4th
Sydney FC: 5th
Melbourne Victory could have finished anywhere between second and sixth with two rounds to go. In the end, they wound up right in the middle.
Arthur Diles’ side did what they could in the final round of action, defeating Western Sydney Wanderers 2-0 at CommBank Stadium but results elsewhere ultimately saw them finish in fourth place.
However that result still ensured they sealed a home berth when it comes to the Elimination Finals, and that’s something Victory captain Roderick Miranda believes is a massive help especially given they’re playing in a Big Blue against old rivals Sydney FC.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO MELBOURNE VICTORY V SYDNEY FC
“Well, a Big Blue is always a big game, and especially when you heading towards finals, I think it’s even bigger,” said Miranda, when speaking at Monday’s Finals Series launch.
“So I think everybody here in the club, and for sure, all across the league, are expecting a big, big crowd coming in to support us.
“We know it’s a big part of our achievement as well. All of our success relies a lot on our home fans when we play at home, it’s a big advantage to us.”
This weekend’s clash will also see Sydney FC boss Patrick Kisnorbo return to AAMI Park as an opposition coach for the first time since his abrupt Victory exit back in 2024.
Having been appointed on a three-year contract, Kisnorbo received an offer to head to J1 League side Yokohama F. Marinos as an assistant coach to former England assistant coach Steve Holland and ultiamtely decided to take up the offer just seven games into his tenure.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO MELBOURNE VICTORY V SYDNEY FC
It was a decision that irked the Victory support at the time but ahead of the reunion at AAMI Park Miranda says it isn’t something the players hold against their former boss.
“I think the occasion is bigger than any kind of playing against a former coach or former team,” said Miranda when asked about coming up against his old boss.
“I think just the Big Blue speaks for itself. But speaking about about Patrick, he’s a coach with a lot of titles already in Australia, so I think his CV speaks for itself.
“I’m expecting again an offensive game from both sides, trying to score goals, trying to be offensive, trying to create a good show for the fans to watch.
“A Big Blue is always a tough game, and especially towards the finals. Now it’s even tougher.”
Almost certain to play a key role in this weekend’s clash at AAMI Park will be the fit-again Juan Mata.
The Spanish World Cup winner has been one of if not the standout player in the competition this season and made his return from an elbow injury against the Wanderers in Round 26.
“I think we’ve been lucky enough this season to have Juan Mata in our team,” said the Victory captain.
“I think not only us, but I think the league has been lucky enough, all the fans watching him performing and showing what a true legend he is.
“All the assists, all the goals, all the brilliant moments he gave us throughout the season.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO MELBOURNE VICTORY V SYDNEY FC
He continued: “I know he is excited as well to play. Hopefully now everything can go back to normal. He can come back to normal fitness that he was before the injury. And in the end, when everybody’s fit ist’ the best for the team.
“Just to make everybody available to help, and having Juan on our side, on the pitch, is a big boost for us, for for the fans, for the league, I think for everybody.”
On the opposite side of the equation on Saturday night will be Sydney FC, who too bounced around the top six for much of the back half of the season.
The Sky Blues had the chance to finish second on the final day of the regular season but twice coughed up a lead against Auckland FC to ensure they missed out on hosting an Elimination Final altogether.
That said, the Sky Blues are still relishing the chance to go to AAMI Park and upset their old rivals and book their spot in the Semi-Finals and nobody understands the importance of a Big Blue more than Sydney captain Rhyan Grant.
“Yeah, very exciting to be honest,” said the Sky Blues skipper when discussing this weekend’s fixture.
“I think if you look at our history against Victory in Finals Series, there’s a lot there. I think it’s great for the neutral.
“It’s always tough going down to Melbourne and playing at AAMI Park. So yeah, we’ll have our hands full, but looking forward to it.
“It’s always nice beating Victory, whether you’re playing them during the season or in a Final Series.”
Having wrapped up a spot in the Finals Series with two weeks to spare, the Sky Blues head into the business end of the season as somewhat underdogs given their topsy turvy season.
That said, Sydney FC are unbeaten since Kisnorbo took charge of the side and whilst they’ve only mustered one win amongst their three draws, they do have the firepower to cause any side problems.
“Sydney FC, as a club, expects to be in this position at the pointy end of the season,” said Grant.
“So for us to miss out last year was very disappointing. To be back in and involved in finals is just the first of many expectations that we have on ourselves as a club and as a team.
“I think since PK (Patrick Kisnorbo) has come in, we’ve been pretty resolute in defence and sort of set up some good foundations there, and then it was just about trying to find ways to score and create chances and key moments.”
Sydney came from two goals back to have their last match with Victory end in a 2-2 draw.
