2025–26 Western United FC season

Western United
2025–26 season
Owner	Western Melbourne Group,; Sayers Road Investment Co,; Jaszac Investments - Jason Sourasis,; Theodore Andriopoulos,; Steve Horvat,; Levent Shevki and John Tripodi
Head Coach	John Aloisi
Stadium	Ironbark Fields; AAMI Park
A-League Men	TBD
A-League Men Finals	TBD
Australia Cup	Round of 32
Biggest defeat	0–1; vs. Sydney FC (H); (29 July 2025); Australia Cup
	All statistics correct as of 29 July 2025.

The 2025–26 season is expected to be Western United Football Club's seventh season in the A-League Men. In addition to the domestic league, Western United also participated in this season's edition of the Australia Cup.

As of 8 August 2025, the club's license to compete in the A-League Men and A-League Women competitions has been stripped by Football Australia's independent first instance board, which oversees club licensing.^[1] The club has appealed the decision and the board will consider the club's appeal and issue a decision no later than 25 August 2025.^[2]

Players

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
5	FW	AUS	Oliver Lavale (scholarship)
6	DF	JPN	Tomoki Imai (vice-captain)
9	FW	JPN	Hiroshi Ibusuki
10	MF	AUS	Matthew Grimaldi
13	DF	AUS	Tate Russell
14	FW	AUS	Jake Najdovski
17	DF	AUS	Ben Garuccio (captain)
20	FW	AUS	Abel Walatee (scholarship)
21	MF	AUS	Sebastian Pasquali
23	MF	AUS	Rhys Bozinovski
29	DF	IRQ	Charbel Shamoon (scholarship)


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
30	DF	AUS	Dylan Leonard (scholarship)
32	MF	AUS	Angus Thurgate
33	GK	AUS	Matt Sutton
34	MF	AUS	James York (scholarship)
35	GK	AUS	Alex Nassiep (scholarship)
37	FW	AUS	Luke Vickery (scholarship)
41	DF	AUS	Besian Kutleshi (scholarship)
43	DF	LBN	Khoder Kaddour (scholarship)
44	MF	AUS	Jordan Lauton
47	DF	NZL	Luka Coveny (scholarship)
70	GK	AUS	Michael Vonja

Transfers and contracts

Transfers in

No.	Position	Name	From	Type/fee	Contract length	Date	Ref.
11	FW	Jaiden Kucharski	Unattached	Free transfer	2 years	8 July 2025	^[3]

From youth squad

Transfers out

No.	Position	Name	To	Type/fee	Date	Ref.
19	FW	Noah Botic	Austria Vienna	End of contract	29 June 2025	^[4]
4	DF	James Donachie	Sydney Olympic	End of contract	30 June 2025	^[5]^[6]
7	FW	Ramy Najjarine	Unattached	End of contract	30 June 2025	^[5]
22	DF	Kane Vidmar	Unattached	End of contract	30 June 2025	^[5]
24	FW	Michael Ruhs	Brisbane Roar	End of contract	30 June 2025	^[7]^[8]
77	MF	Riku Danzaki	Unattached	End of contract	30 June 2025	^[5]
11	FW	Jaiden Kucharski	Unattached	Mutual contract termination	19 August 2025	^[9]

Contract extensions

No.	Name	Position	Duration	Date	Notes	Ref.
29	Charbel Shamoon	Right-back	1 year	6 July 2025		^[10]
17	Ben Garuccio	Left-back	2 years	14 July 2025		^[11]

Pre-season and friendlies

Win Draw Loss Fixtures

21 July 2025	Oakleigh Cannons	0–3	Western United	Melbourne
19:30 AEST		Report	Najdovski 29', 55' Kucharski 87'	Stadium: Jack Edwards Reserve

Competitions

Overall record

Competition	First match	Last match	Starting round	Final position	Record
Competition	First match	Last match	Starting round	Final position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
A-League Men	To be announced	To be announced	Matchday 1	TBD	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	!—
A-League Men final series	To be announced	TBD		TBD	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	!—
Australia Cup	29 July 2025	29 July 2025	Round of 32	Round of 32	1	0	0	1	0	1	−1	000.00
Total					1	0	0	1	0	1	−1	000.00

Last updated: 29 July 2025
Source: Competitions

A-League Men

League table

Pos	Team	Qualification
9	Perth Glory	Qualification for 2026 Australia Cup play-offs
10	Sydney FC
11	Wellington Phoenix^[a]
12	Western Sydney Wanderers
13	Western United (W)	Withdrawn^[b]

First match(es) will be played: 17 October 2025. Source: A-Leagues
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) goals scored; 4) wins; 5) head-to-head results; 5a) head-to-head points; 5b) head-to-head goal difference; 6) Fair Play points; 7) away goal difference; 8) away goals per match; 9) home goal difference; 10) home goals per match; 11) toss of a coin in an event of a tie of two clubs.
(W) Withdrawn before the start of the season.
Notes:

^ Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix cannot qualify for Asian Football Confederation competitions as they are based in New Zealand, which is part of the Oceania Football Confederation.
^ Western United's license was revoked on 8 August 2025.^[12] The decision has been appealed by the club.^[13]

Results summary


Overall								Home						Away
Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Last updated: 26 May 2025.
Source: Ultimate A-League

Matches

The fixtures for the 2025-26 A-League Men season are yet to be announced.

Win Draw Loss Fixtures

Australia Cup

29 July 2025 Round of 32	Western United	0–1	Sydney FC	Melbourne
19:30 AEST		Report	Macallister 75'	Stadium: Ironbark Fields Attendance: 1,347 Referee: Jack Morgan

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Includes all competitions. Players with no appearances not included in the list.^[14]

As of match played 29 July 2025

No.	Pos.	Nat.	Name	A-League Men		Australia Cup		Total
No.	Pos.	Nat.	Name	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
5	FW		Oliver Lavale	0	0	1	0	1	0
6	DF		Tomoki Imai	0	0	1	0	1	0
10	MF		Matthew Grimaldi	0	0	1	0	1	0
13	DF		Tate Russell	0	0	1	0	1	0
14	FW		Jake Najdovski	0	0	1	0	1	0
20	FW		Abel Walatee	0	0	1	0	1	0
23	MF		Rhys Bozinovski	0	0	1	0	1	0
30	DF		Dylan Leonard	0	0	1	0	1	0
32	MF		Angus Thurgate	0	0	1	0	1	0
33	GK		Matt Sutton	0	0	1	0	1	0
37	FW		Luke Vickery	0	0	0+1	0	1	0
41	DF		Besian Kutleshi	0	0	1	0	1	0
43	DF		Khoder Kaddour	0	0	0+1	0	1	0
44	MF		Jordan Lauton	0	0	0+1	0	1	0
48	FW		Mark Leonard	0	0	0+1	0	1	0
Player(s) transferred out but featured this season

Disciplinary record

Includes all competitions. The list is sorted by squad number when total cards are equal. Players with no cards not included in the list.^[14]

As of match played 29 July 2025

Rank	No.	Nat.	Name	A-League Men			Australia Cup			Total

				1	6	DF		Tomoki Imai	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0
23	MF	Rhys Bozinovski	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0
Total				0	0	0	2	0	0	2	0	0

Clean sheets

Includes all competitions. The list is sorted by squad number when total clean sheets are equal. Numbers in parentheses represent games where both goalkeepers participated and both kept a clean sheet; the number in parentheses is awarded to the goalkeeper who was substituted on, whilst a full clean sheet is awarded to the goalkeeper who was on the field at the start of play. Goalkeepers with no clean sheets not included in the list.

As of match played 29 July 2025

Rank	No.	Nat.	Goalkeeper	A-League Men	Australia Cup	Total
1	33		Matt Sutton	0	0	0
Total				0	0	0

References

^ Joey Lynch (8 August 2025). "Western United kicked out of A-League". espn.com.au.
^ Joey Lynch (11 August 2025). "A-League's latest crisis: Were Western United doomed from the start?". espn.com.au.
^ Hughes, Nick (8 July 2025). "Jaiden Kucharski adds attacking x-factor to Western United". Western United.
^ Hughes, Nick (29 June 2025). "Noah Botic departs Western United for Austrian top flight". Western United.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Western United confirms player and staff departures for 2025/26". Western United. 4 July 2025.
^ "MID-SEASON SIGNINGS DOMINATE NPL MEN'S NSW COMPETITION". National Premier Leagues NSW. 4 July 2025.
^ Hughes, Nick (30 June 2025). "Michael Ruhs departs Western United for new opportunity". Western United.
^ "Roar secure services of electrifying Australian attacker". Brisbane Roar. 30 June 2025.
^ "Isuzu UTE A-league Men Squad Update". Western United. 19 August 2025.
^ Hughes, Nick (6 July 2025). "Charbel Shamoon extends after breakout season at Western United". Western United.
^ Hughes, Nick (14 July 2024). "Ben Garuccio leading Western United into exciting new era". Western United.
^ Rugari, Vince (8 August 2025). "Aloisi 'devastated' as former champions Western United stripped of A-League licence". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
^ "Western United Club Statement". Western United. 8 August 2025.
^ ^a ^b "Western United FC - Squad". soccerway.com.

[table_note_AUC0.52151103900816-12] Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix cannot qualify for Asian Football Confederation competitions as they are based in New Zealand, which is part of the Oceania Football Confederation.

[table_note_res_WW0.52151103900816-15] Western United's license was revoked on 8 August 2025.^[12] The decision has been appealed by the club.^[13]

[ESPN1-1] Joey Lynch (8 August 2025). "Western United kicked out of A-League". espn.com.au.

[ESPN2-2] Joey Lynch (11 August 2025). "A-League's latest crisis: Were Western United doomed from the start?". espn.com.au.

[3] Hughes, Nick (8 July 2025). "Jaiden Kucharski adds attacking x-factor to Western United". Western United.

[4] Hughes, Nick (29 June 2025). "Noah Botic departs Western United for Austrian top flight". Western United.

[4JulyDepartures-5] "Western United confirms player and staff departures for 2025/26". Western United. 4 July 2025.

[6] "MID-SEASON SIGNINGS DOMINATE NPL MEN'S NSW COMPETITION". National Premier Leagues NSW. 4 July 2025.

[7] Hughes, Nick (30 June 2025). "Michael Ruhs departs Western United for new opportunity". Western United.

[8] "Roar secure services of electrifying Australian attacker". Brisbane Roar. 30 June 2025.

[9] "Isuzu UTE A-league Men Squad Update". Western United. 19 August 2025.

[10] Hughes, Nick (6 July 2025). "Charbel Shamoon extends after breakout season at Western United". Western United.

[11] Hughes, Nick (14 July 2024). "Ben Garuccio leading Western United into exciting new era". Western United.

[13] Rugari, Vince (8 August 2025). "Aloisi 'devastated' as former champions Western United stripped of A-League licence". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 August 2025.

[14] "Western United Club Statement". Western United. 8 August 2025.

[appearances-16] "Western United FC - Squad". soccerway.com.

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