Hume City, Whittlesea Ranges and Moreland Zebras will all take part in the National Premier Leagues Victoria (NPL) after the governing body awarded licences to 30 teams on Friday.
After months of talks between Football Federation Victoria (FFV) and the clubs — which eventually resulted in Supreme Court action and intervention by Football Federation Australia (FFA) — the model was agreed on and clubs applied for licences.
The NPL Victoria, part of a reform of the top league in each state, will replace the Victorian Premier League, won by Northcote City last season. Clubs offered licences must confirm their participation by February 19 but are still in the dark on how the competition will be structured.
Fixtures are due to be released on February 26 and the Rules of Competition on March 4.
Whether the clubs are grouped into divisions remains to be seen. FFV president Nick Monteleone said the announcement was a watershed moment for Victorian soccer.
“The NPL will have a positive impact on players, coaches and club development across Victoria,” he said.
Liam Bentley has been appointed Head of NPL Victoria.
