Season 2006–07 Goals scored 218 (2.6 per match) | Matches played 84 Period 2006 – 2007 | |
 | ||
Premiers Melbourne Victory (1st title) Similar 2014–15 A‑League, 2015–16 A‑League, 2016–17 A‑League | ||
The 2006–07 A-League was the second season of the Australian soccer competition, the A-League. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the first season and on the interest generated by the Socceroos competing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Fox Sports had signed a A$120 million deal over 7 years for the exclusive broadcast rights of the A-League, AFC Champions League, and national team matches (excluding matches played in the World Cup finals).
Contents
- Foreign players
- Pre Season Challenge Cup
- Home and away season
- League table
- Finals series
- Highest attendances
- Awards
- References
The television advertisement campaign used for the 2006–07 season was the same as the previous season, with different music. Scribe's song "Not Many" was replaced with Manuel Neztic's "Kickin Down". The second season was marketed as "A-League: Version 2".
Foreign players
The following do not fill a Visa position:
1Those players who were born and started their professional career abroad but have since gained Australian Residency (and New Zealand Residency, in the case of Wellington Phoenix);
2Australian residents (and New Zealand residents, in the case of Wellington Phoenix) who have chosen to represent another national team;
3Injury Replacement Players, or National Team Replacement Players;
4Guest Players (eligible to play a maximum of ten games)
Pre-Season Challenge Cup
This competition was held in July and August in the lead up to the start of the A-League season. The opening round was 15 July 2006. The competition featured a group stage, with three regular rounds and a bonus round, followed by a two-week finals playoff. The bonus group round matched up teams against opponents from the other group, and also offered the incentive of "bonus points" based on goals scored (1 point for 2 goals, 2 points for 3 goals, 3 points for 4 or more goals).
The Pre-Season Cup was used to enhance the A-League's profiles by playing pre-season games in regional centres including the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Launceston, Canberra, Wollongong, Port Macquarie, Orange and Tamworth.
The pre-season cup was won by Adelaide United !Adelaide United at the final on 19 August 2006.
Home and away season
The league season took a triple round-robin format, and took place over 21 rounds between 25 August 2006 and 21 January 2007.
League table
Updated to games played on 21 January 2007
Source: theworldgame.sbs.com.au
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
1Sydney FC were penalised three competition points following round 18 due to salary cap breaches which occurred during the 2005–06 season.
2First place through to fourth place qualify for the 2007 A-League Finals Series.
3First place qualifies for the 2008 AFC Champions League Group stage.
4Winning the 2007 A-League Grand Final earns qualification for the 2008 AFC Champions League Group stage, unless the Grand Final winners are also first place, in which case the Grand Final runner up qualifies.
5New Zealand Knights cannot qualify for the 2008 AFC Champions League as they are not recognised as an AFC club.
Finals series
The Asian Football Confederation announced on 21 November 2006 that Adelaide United !Adelaide United and Sydney FC !Sydney FC would represent Australia in the 2007 AFC Champions League. Despite an appeal by the Football Federation Australia, it was determined that the 2005–06 A-League premiers and champions would qualify and not those from the current season.
The AFC also indicated that the qualification arrangements would not be reviewed prior to 2009. The FFA have indicated that the premiers and champions of A-League 2006–07 will qualify for the 2008 AFC Champions League – establishing a precedent of maintaining a one-year lag between qualification and participation.
Highest attendances
Awards
The 2007 A-League Awards ceremony was held on 27 February 2007 at the Sydney Opera House.