Conceived from out of the ashes of the poorly followed and mismanaged National Soccer League in 2005, the A-League has been one of the success stories of Australian sport in recent years.

The A-League came into existence at a time when the domestic football scene was almost overwhelmed with the euphoria of the national team’s qualification for the 2006 World Cup and the league rode a wave of emotion for much of its first few seasons.

The new league started with just eight teams and the majority of those were completely new to the Australian sporting landscape after clubs with ethnic allegiances - who had dominated the old NSL - were not allowed to join by the Football Federation Australia.

The move worked, encouraging more general sports fans and families to watch the games, boosting attendances and prompting an increase in media attention.

Perth Glory had been the most dominant club in Australian domestic football for much of the early years of the 21st Century, but it was a very different case with the arrival of the A-League, with Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory among the new powers in football in Australia.

The popularity of the league has seen the number of teams playing in the league reach 10 for the 2009-2010 season with a provision for further expansion in the coming seasons.

The league’s structure is different to that of most leagues, with the regular league season followed by a series of playoffs to determine the A-League champion. There is no promotion or relegation.