A-League season start is threatened as top referees go on strike
According to ABC Sport, top Australian referees have been on strike since September 4 over proposed changes that would see referees contracted directly by the league rather than Football Australia, with the A-League Men and Women seasons set to start in mid-October. The PFRA says the changes would be detrimental to referees and raise integrity concerns, while the APL and FA say they are continuing to work toward a resolution. The dispute follows years of governance changes since the 2020 decoupling of the A-League from Football Australia, and concerns about the league’s management and finances.