Expanded A-League Women season to avoid summer heat

All A-League Women games between December and March will commence at 5pm or later, with players protected from taking the field in extreme heat.

The league scrapped 3pm kick-offs between mid-December and February last season, following complaints from clubs in 2022-23 leading to the rescheduling of fixtures then due to sweltering conditions.

In releasing the ALW fixture on Thursday, the Australian Professional Leagues confirmed games played from round five in early December to round 21 in March have been pushed to 5pm as part of its heat policy.

Playing later in the day should better protect players, staff and spectators, improve quality of play and reduce fixture changes.

The ALW needs to find a way to kick on after attendance records were broken in the opening weekend of last season on the back of the Matildas’ historic World Cup campaign.

Midweek fixtures will be played during round nine, from December 27 to January 27, in a bid to grow audiences during the summer break between major sporting codes.

The competition, which already had 22 home-and-away fixtures, starts on November 1 and will add an additional regular-season game through Unite Round.

There will be 30 double-headers to minimise simultaneous kick-offs and 10 games will be on free-to-air TV rather than last season’s one, with all games livestreamed.

Unite Round will be held at Leichhardt Oval between Friday, November 22 and Sunday, November 22.

Western United will open the season against Wellington Phoenix on a Friday night -November 1 - at Ironbark Fields in Tarneit.

The venue lost power during United’s elimination-final loss to Newcastle.

On November 2, Central Coast host reigning champions Sydney FC in a rematch of their semi-final encounter.

Grand finalists Melbourne City and Sydney face off in round four, then again in round 16.

“We can’t wait for another exciting year of football featuring more than 15 internationals from around the globe and the best rising stars from across Australia and New Zealand,” A-Leagues commissioner Nick Garcia said.

“This season we will again see the best home-grown talent stake their claim to be the global stars of tomorrow.”

The six-team finals series, following last season’s format, will kick off on the weekend of April 25, with the grand final scheduled for the weekend of May 16.

The league will fully observe the October, February and April FIFA windows.

But teams will play during part of the November-December window, which has been extended to two weeks, to maximise continuity and avoid fixture congestion.

City are in Thailand for their Asian Champions League group stage from October 6-12 and their fixtures will be adjusted if they reach next March’s quarter-finals.

ROUND ONE FIXTURES (ALL TIMES AEDT)

* Western United v Wellington Phoenix, 7pm, Friday, November 1, Ironbark Fields

* Central Coast Mariners v Sydney FC, 2.15pm, Saturday, November 2, Industree Group Stadium

* Canberra United v Brisbane Roar, 4pm, Saturday, November 2, McKellar Park

* Adelaide United v Melbourne Victory, 5pm, Saturday, November 2, ServiceFM Stadium

* Melbourne City v Perth Glory, 3pm, Sunday, November 3, City Football Academy

* Newcastle Jets v Western Sydney Wanderers, 4pm, Sunday, November 3, No.2 Sportsground.