APL invites PFA to commit to collective bargaining agreement process based on updated position

The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has put forward an updated proposal to the Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) on a Collective Bargaining Agreement with a view to finalising arrangements ahead of the forthcoming 2026/27 A-Leagues season.

The invitation to resume negotiations in good faith on a one-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is based on a range of new and enhanced elements to the proposal for which 52 of 53 items were agreed in-principle between the PFA and APL, as outlined by the PFA in the presentation of 7 July 2026 that has been shared with the A-League clubs. 

APL’s updated position seeks to address the remaining unresolved item at that time by proposing a significant increase to the maximum salary cap for the A-League Women (ALW), as well as further provisions for the A-League Men (ALM) and ALW players to have a direct say in the strategic direction of the professional game.

In addition to the items agreed in principle with the PFA, we have proposed the following updated and additional elements:

• a 41 per cent increase to the ALW salary cap on last year, to $900,000 – an increase from the previous offer of $775,000.
• significant exclusions from the ALW salary cap comprising:
  • pro-rata amounts associated with ALW contracts beyond 38 weeks; and
  • the allocation of a marquee player fund for up to three players to be initiated for season 2026/27
• enhancements and entitlements to maternity and paternity arrangements for implementation for the 26/27 season.

As part of the APL’s commitment to the strategic direction and growth of the game, it has:

• committed to setting a pathway to full-time professionalism for ALW players, with the aim of having a mutually-agreed plan in place within 12 months; and
• made an offer for the PFA and APL to commence negotiations on a longer-term model for agreement by March 2027. 

It is noted that the in-principle agreed parameters for the ALW from early July included an increase in the minimum contracted weeks, the minimum weekly retainer as well as maintaining two marquee players outside the cap. 

In addition, and in recognising the shared stake the PFA has in ensuring players have a direct say in the future of the A-Leagues competitions and growth of the professional game, the APL proposes:

• to enhance the parameters for the proposed formation of a Strategic Working Group designed to enable greater engagement between the PFA and APL, including access to information and involvement in strategy development and key decisions; and
• the formation of a Player Advisory Committee, comprising an equal number of ALM and ALW player representatives from across the clubs, spanning the key age demographics among the player cohort, to meet with the APL on a quarterly basis for feedback and insights on APL strategy.

The APL’s updated proposal also rejects a proposition put forward by the PFA to shift to an Enterprise Agreement and Industry Agreement structure for the A-Leagues competitions, a premise that is fundamentally unfit for purpose and not in the best interests of players, and by extension, the professional game in Australia. 

Steve Rosich, APL CEO, said the updated proposal for a one-year CBA provides the players and clubs, and the game overall, an appropriate platform for meaningful and sustainable growth over the coming years.

“We’ve been committed to this process in good faith since discussions with the PFA commenced around eight months ago. Indeed, at the outset, we sought to pursue a multi-year framework and subsequently agreed to the PFA’s request for a one-year collective agreement.”

“Our updated proposal underlines a real and genuine intent on the APL’s part to arrive at an outcome that both meets the near-term priorities in a responsible and viable way, and to turn our focus with the PFA on building meaningful and sustainable growth that will be good for everyone involved in the professional game”, he said.

Mr Rosich said that any proposal to move to enterprise and industry agreements did not serve the interests of the players and the professional game overall, based on the following considerations:

• An enterprise agreement is fixed and inflexible, when the PFA and APL agree that reform is needed to enable growth. Under the Fair Work Act, an enterprise agreement is made between an employer and its employees. The APL does not employ players and cannot make an enterprise agreement covering them. 
• An enterprise agreement cannot capture much of what falls under the current agreement including, among various competition-wide items, negotiation of the salary cap, registration and transfer matters, image rights, bonus structures, and player development programs.
• As there is no modern award covering athletes in a professional competition in Australia, it is not clear what benchmark any agreement would be assessed against. 
• An industry agreement is not defined and does not specify key arrangements, who the parties would be or what legal status it would have, among other things. 
• The process and timeline involved in putting the proposed agreements in place would extend far beyond the commencement of the 2026/27 season.
• The Fair Work Act would exclude the NZ-based players given that it operates under Australian law, meaning any enterprise agreement could not on its own deliver a single, competition-wide standard that the PFA seeks.
• The A-Leagues must operate in accordance with FIFA and Football Australia’s regulatory framework, including in relation to player employment-related disputes. As the FIFA member association, Football Australia has approval rights over A-Leagues regulations. It is unclear how this would be addressed under an enterprise agreement and in the Fair Work Commission. 

“As there is no modern award covering athletes in a professional competition in Australia, the arrangement being suggested for the A-Leagues in this case is simply not fit-for-purpose. For the players themselves, we’re not convinced that the proposed arrangements can deliver what the PFA are seeking. In fact, on several points, we believe such arrangements would lead to the opposite outcome for players”, Mr Rosich said. 

“We understand that negotiations call for give-and-take from all parties. We don’t shy away from it when it is done with the right intentions and with a shared outcome in mind. In that context, we recognise the important role of the PFA in representing the interests of its members.  We recognise that players are fundamental to our leagues, its performance and our growth. Equally, our clubs understand their responsibility as employers of players across the ALW and ALM, as well as coaching staff and other on and off-field resources who contribute to the success of our A-Leagues competitions.”

The APL will be issuing Player Contract Regulations (PCRs) for the upcoming 2026/27 season in line with the agreed in-principle position between the PFA and APL plus the additional elements we outline above. The PCRs will be issued as a matter of good governance to provide certainty for clubs and players in advance of the season while, hopefully, we can continue working together towards a new CBA. 

The Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2026/27 season kicks off on Friday 16 October, while the Ninja A-League Women 2026/27 season will kick off on Saturday 17 October – with the full season fixtures for the A-League Women to be released in the coming weeks.