How to watch 2025 Australian Championship LIVE on SBS

Australian football is back on SBS, with the launch of the long-awaited second tier, the Australian Championship. Here's how to watch every game of the inaugural 2025 season LIVE and FREE across SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 23: Players representing all 16 teams pose for a photo during the Australian Championship 2025 season launch at Leichhardt Oval on September 23, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images for Football Australia) Source: Getty / Darrian Traynor/Getty Images for Football Austra

SBS On Demand is the place to watch all 55 matches of the Australian Championship - LIVE and FREE from October 10 - with 17 'Super Saturday' matches LIVE on SBS, and the opening match LIVE on SBS VICELAND.

• What is the Australian Championship?
• How can I watch it?
• What teams are involved?
• Is this separate to A-League Men?
• What if I can't watch games live?
• How do I create an account for SBS On Demand?
• Where is the schedule for this season's Championship?

What is the Australian Championship?

Eight foundation clubs and eight NPL premiers from across the country will take part in the first edition of the Australian Championship - a tournament-style format where four groups of four teams will see the top two from each progress to a sudden-death finals series, with the Australian Championship trophy the grand prize.

How to watch the Australian Championship

The opening match kicks off on October 10 with a blockbuster Group A clash between South Melbourne FC and Sydney Olympic FC from Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne, LIVE in full on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.

Then, the first 'Super Saturday' double-header on October 11 - LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand - brings Group D action with North Eastern MetroStars SC taking on Wests Apia FC from T.K Shutter Reserve in Adelaide, followed by the Group C opener from Genis Steel Stadium in Melbourne as Preston Lions FC host NWS Spirit.

Rounding out the weekend, Sunday, October 12 features the remaining five opening fixtures across the four groups, all live streaming in full via SBS On Demand.

What teams are involved?

• Broadmeadow Magic
• Moreton City Excelsior
• South Melbourne
• Sydney Olympic
• Heidelberg United
• Marconi Stallions
• South Hobart
• Wollongong Wolves
• Avondale
• Canberra Croatia
• NSW Spirit
• Preston Lions
• Bayswater City
• North Eastern MetroStars
• Sydney United 58
• Wests APIA

Is this separate to A-League Men?

Yes, this competition is not connected to the A-League Men or any of its associated clubs. The Australian Championship is the national second tier for football in Australia, with no promotion or relegation between the two at this time.

What if I can't watch games live?

If you're not able to watch live, every match of the competition will be available for catch-up via a dedicated SBS On Demand Hub (launching October 3) including full replays, 25-minute mini matches and 3-minute short highlights packages for all 55 matches - so you can watch the action your way.

How do I create an account for SBS On Demand?

Creating an account with SBS On Demand is free, quick and easy!

1. Visit: https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/
2. Click on 'create account':
3. You'll then be prompted to enter:
   
   • First name
   • Email
   • A password of your choosing - your chosen password must be at least 5 characters with a number
   • Birth year
   • Gender

4. Once all the above details have been successfully entered, you'll see the above notification advising an email has been sent to you to verify your account:

5: Click the link on the email to verify your email address

6: You can now go ahead and sign in to SBS On Demand. Happy viewing!

Australian Championship 2025 on SBS

Round 1

Friday, October 10

Group A - South Melbourne v Sydney Olympic

7pm - 9pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand

Saturday, October 11

Group D - NE MetroStars v Wests Apia

12:55pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group C - Preston Lions v NWS Spirit

3pm - 5pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Sunday, October 12

Group A - Broadmeadow Magic v Moreton City Excelsior

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group B - South Hobart v Wollongong Wolves

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group B - Heidelberg United v Marconi Stallions

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group D - Sydney United 58 v Bayswater City

4:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group C - Avondale v Canberra Croati

4:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Round 2

Friday, October 17

Group D - Wests Apia v Sydney United 58

7pm - 9pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Saturday, October 18

Group B - Marconi Stallions v South Hobart

12:55pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group B - Wollongong Wolves v Heidelberg United

3pm - 5pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Sunday, October 19

Group A - Sydney Olympic v Broadmeadow Magic

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group C - Canberra Croatia v Preston Lions

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group D - Bayswater City v NE MetroStars

4:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group A - South Melbourne v Moreton City Excelsior

4:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group C - NWS Spirit v Avondale

4:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Round 3

Friday, October 24

Group C - Preston Lions v Avondale

7pm - 9pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Saturday, October 25

Group B - Marconi Stallions v Wollongong Wolves

12:55pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group D - Sydney United 58 v NE MetroStars

3pm - 5pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Sunday, October 26

Group A - Moreton City Excelsior v Sydney Olympic

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group A - Broadmeadow Magic v South Melbourne

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group B - Heidelberg United v South Melbourne

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group C - NWS Spirit v Canberra Croatia

4:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group D - Bayswater City v Wests Apia

4:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Round 4

Friday, October 31

Group B - Marconi Stallions v Heidelberg United

7pm - 9pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Saturday, November 1

Group C - Canberra Croatia v Avondale

12:55pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group A - Sydney Olympic v South Melbourne

3pm - 5pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Sunday, November 2

Group A - Moreton City Excelsior v Broadmeadow Magic

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group B - Wollongong Wolves v South Hobart

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group D - Wests Apia v NE MetroStars

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group C - NWS Spirit v Preston Lions

4:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group D - Bayswater City v Sydney United

4:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Round 5

Friday, November 7

Group D - Sydney United v Wests Apia

7pm - 9pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Saturday, November 8

Group A - Sydney Olympic v Moreton City Excelsior

12:55pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group A - South Melbourne v Broadmeadow Magic

3pm - 5pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Sunday, November 9

Group B - South Hobart v Marconi Stallions

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group C - Preston Lions v Canberra Croatia

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group B - Heidelberg United v Wollongong Wolves

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group D - NE MetroStars v Bayswater City

4:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group C - Avondale v NWS Spirit

4:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Round 6

Friday, November 14

Group A - Moreton City Excelsior v South Melbourne

7pm - 9pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Saturday, November 15

Group C - Avondale v Preston Lions

12:55pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group B - Wollongong Wolves v Marconi Stallions

3pm - 5pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Sunday, November 16

Group A - Broadmeadow Magic v Sydney Olympic

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group B - South Hobart v Heidelberg United

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group D - NE MetroStars v Sydney United 58

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group C - Canberra Croatia v NWS Spirit

4:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Group D - Wests Apia v Bayswater City

4:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Quarter-Finals

Saturday, November 22

A1 v C2

12:30pm - 3:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

B1 v D2

3:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Sunday, November 16

C1 v A2

1pm - 3pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

D1 v B2

3pm - 5pm (AEDT)

LIVE streaming via SBS On Demand

Semi-Finals

Saturday, November 29

TBC v TBC

12:30pm - 3:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

TBC v TBC

3:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Final

Saturday, December 6

TBC v TBC

2:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand