Victorian Premier League
Football league
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The Victorian Premier League (VPL) is an Australian soccer league based in Victoria. It is administered by Football Victoria, covering the second-to-third-highest tiers in the Victorian soccer league system (and the third-to-fourth-highest nationally).[1]
| |
| Organising body | Football Victoria |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2023 |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Victoria |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of clubs | 28
|
| Level on pyramid | 3 and 4 |
| Promotion to | National Premier Leagues Victoria |
| Relegation to | Victorian State League |
| Domestic cup(s) | National Australia Cup State Dockerty Cup |
| Current champions | VPL 1: Bentleigh Greens (2025) VPL 2: North Geelong Warriors (2025) |
| Current: VPL 1 (2025), VPL 2 (2025) | |
As of 2025, the VPL consists of two divisions (VPL 1 and VPL 2), with promotion from VPL 1 to the National Premier Leagues (NPL) and relegation from VPL 2 to the Victorian State League (VSL).
History
Following the introduction of the National Premier Leagues (NPL) for the 2014 season, Football Federation Victoria (FFV) introduced a second-tier NPL 1 competition.[2] It was renamed to NPL 2 in 2016 and split into two zones (east and west).[3] A further change occurred in 2020, with the establishment of NPL 3 as the third-tier competition in the Victorian soccer pyramid.[4]
In October 2023, Football Victoria renamed NPL 2 and NPL 3 to VPL 1 and VPL 2 respectively, using the name "Victorian Premier League" name previously used by the first division in Victoria.[1][5]
Format
As of the 2025 season, the VPL first and second divisions are contested by 14 teams each. The top two finishing clubs in VPL 1 gain automatic promotion to the NPL, while those clubs finishing in positions third-to-sixth compete in play-offs for a promotion berth.
The bottom three teams in VPL 1 at the conclusion of the season are relegated to VPL 2, and the bottom three teams in VPL 2 are relegated to the Victorian State League first division.[6]
Current members
The following clubs will take part in the 2026 Victorian Premier League season.
Division 1
\
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick City | Brunswick West | Dunstan Reserve | 1,000 |
| Brunswick Juventus | Fawkner | CB Smith Reserve | 2,000 |
| Bulleen Lions | Bulleen | David Barro Stadium | 3,000 |
| Eltham Redbacks | Eltham North | Eltham North Reserve | 1,000 |
| Langwarrin | Langwarrin South | Lawton Park Reserve | 5,000 |
| Manningham United Blues | Templestowe | Pettys Reserve | 1,000[7] |
| Melbourne Knights | Sunshine North | Knights Stadium | 15,000[8] |
| Melbourne Srbija | Burnley | Kevin Bartlett Reserve | 2,500 |
| Melbourne Victory | Bundoora | The Home of the Matildas | 3,000[9] |
| Northcote City | Thornbury | John Cain Memorial Park | 5,000 |
| North Geelong Warriors | Lara | Elcho Park | 5,000 |
| North Sunshine Eagles | St Albans | Larisa Reserve | 1,000 |
| Port Melbourne | Port Melbourne | SS Anderson Reserve | 1,000[10] |
| Western United | Tarneit | Wyndham Regional Football Facility | 5,000 |
Division 2
| Club | Location | Grounds | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altona City | Altona | HC Kim Reserve | 1,000 |
| Bayside Argonauts | Cheltenham | Shipston Reserve | 500 |
| Box Hill United | Box Hill | Wembley Park | 1,000 |
| Eastern Lions | Burwood | Gardiners Reserve | 1,500 |
| Essendon Royals | Essendon | Cross Keys Reserve | 500 |
| Goulburn Valley Suns | Shepparton | John McEwan Reserve | 3,200 |
| Keilor Park | Keilor Park | Keilor Park Recreation Reserve | 1,000 |
| Kingston City | Clayton South | The Grange Reserve | 2,000 |
| Malvern City | Kooyong | Sir Zelman Cowen Reserve | 500 |
| Moreland City | Coburg | Campbell Reserve | 1,000[11] |
| Nunawading City | Forest Hill | Mahoney's Reserve | 1,000 |
| Springvale White Eagles | Keysborough | Serbian Sports Centre | 5,000 |
| Werribee City | Werribee | Galvin Park Reserve | 1,000 |
| Whittlesea United | Epping | Epping Stadium | 10,000 |
Champions
| Season | Division 1 | Division 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Melbourne Victory Youth | Melbourne Srbija |
| 2025 | Bentleigh Greens | North Geelong Warriors |