From World Cup halo to turmoil: why the A-League Women is at a crossroads

The article discusses the current state of the A-League Women, the top women's football league in Australia. After the success of the 2023 Women's World Cup, which was co-hosted by Australia, the A-League Women experienced a period of growth, with the league expanding to 12 teams and securing a new collective bargaining agreement. However, the league is now facing a crossroads, with the upcoming 2025-26 season seeing the league contract in size for the first time since 2010-11. This is due to the "conditional hibernation" of Western United's teams, as they struggle to avoid collapse. The article suggests that the transformative effects of the 2023 World Cup have not fully materialized, and the future of the A-League Women remains uncertain as the league prepares to host the 2026 Women's Asian Cup.
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