2025–26 Sydney FC season

The 2025–26 season is Sydney Football Club's 21st season in the A-League Men. In addition to the domestic league, Sydney will participate in this season's edition of the Australia Cup. This season covers the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.

Sydney was forced to temporarily relocate to Leichhardt Oval, with the club scheduled to play its first four home matches at the ground, due to the clubs home ground, Allianz Stadium, undergoing repairs to its drainage system.^[1][2] The club later had to reschedule its final match at Leichhardt four days prior to kick-off, after a pitch inspection deemed the playing surface unsafe due to large patches of mud and sand on the pitch.^[3] Sydney is set to play its first match at Allianz Stadium against Wellington Phoenix on 18 January 2026.

This is the first season since 2015–16 without Andrew Redmayne, who departed Sydney for the Central Coast Mariners at the end of his contact,^[4][5] as well as the first since 2017–18 without Anthony Caceres who departed as a free agent to Macarthur FC.^[6][7]

On 18 April 2025, during the 2024–25 season, Sydney announced that Andrew Redmayne would depart at the end of his contract after eight years, leaving the club as its third-most capped player.^[4] On 7 May, Sydney announced that Patryk Klimala would be returning to Śląsk Wrocław following the conclusion of his loan deal.^[8] On 14 May, Sydney announced that manager Ufuk Talay had signed a one-year contract extension.^[9][10] On 16 May, the club announced that, in addition to the previously announced departures of Klimala and Redmayne; Max Burgess, Jaiden Kucharski and Jaushua Sotirio would also depart the club.^[11] On 20 May, both the Newcastle Jets and Perth Glory announced that Matthew Scarcella and Patrick Wood would be returning to Sydney after their respective loan deals ended.^[12][13] On 30 May, Sydney announced that midfielder Rhys Youlley had signed a three-year contract with the club, from Belgian Pro League side Westerlo.^[14] On 12 June, Sydney confirmed the signing of Akol Akon from arch-rivals' Western Sydney Wanderers NPL side.^[15] On 14 June, Sydney announced the mutual termination of Anas Ouahim's contract, as Ouahim wished to move closer to his son in Germany.^[16] On 19 June, Sydney confirmed that 2024–25 A-League Men golden boot winner Adrian Segečić would leave for Championship side Portsmouth.^[17] Four days later, Sydney announced that Anthony Caceres would also depart the club upon the expiration of his contract.^[6]

On 24 July, Sydney announced the signing of Al Hassan Toure on a two-year contract from FC Tulsa.^[18] The following day, the signing of Paul Okon-Engstler from Benfica B on a three-year deal was announced by Sydney.^[19] Following his omission from the first team squad in the Australia Cup, Sydney announced on 2 September that Léo Sena had agreed to a mutual contract termination.^[20] On 18 August, Sydney announced the signing of Congolese defender Marcel Tisserand.^[21] Between 3 and 21 September, the signings of Peruvian midfielder Piero Quispe on loan from UNAM; Spanish striker Víctor Campuzano as a free agent; Ben Garuccio and Abel Walatee who became free agents after Western United were placed into hibernation and all players were released from their contracts.^{[22][23][24][25][26]} On 12 September, defender Aaron Gurd went on loan to Thai League 1 side Kanchanaburi Power.^[27] Following weeks of speculation regarding his return to Sydney following the off-season, Sydney confirmed on 19 September that marquee player Douglas Costa and the club had agreed to a contract termination. Due to financial and legal matters concerning his family in Brazil, Costa was unable to leave the country and rejoin the club.^[28][29]

Sydney's first game of the season came in the round of 32 of the 2025 Australia Cup, where they beat Western United 1–0. Mathias Macallister scored the game's only goal, in what proved to be Western United's final match before being placed into hibernation by the Australian Professional Leagues.^[30] In the round of 16, Sydney defeated NPL NSW side Sydney United 58 2–0, thanks to goals from Toure and Youlley. The match was notable for Akon's debut, as he would become the youngest ever player to play for Sydney's first team at 16 years and 81 days old.^[31] In the quarter-finals Sydney would lose to reigning A-League Men premiers Auckland FC 1–3 on penalties, after the match finished 1–1 after extra time, marking the club's first-ever defeat in a penalty shoot-out.^[32]

Sydney would start the 2025–26 A-League Men season with a 1–2 defeat away to Adelaide United on 17 October, with a goal from Joe Lolley.^[33] Sydney would bounce back the following week, with goals from Campuzano and Patrick Wood helping the club defeat the Central Coast Mariners 2–0 at Leichhardt Oval.^[34] On 1 November, a hat-trick from Toure and a goal from Wood would inspire the club to a 4–1 come from behind win over the Newcastle Jets.^[35][36][37] Sydney would continue their winning ways with a 2–0 win over Macarthur FC, thanks to Tisserand and Lolley scoring late into the second half of the match.^[38][39] The November international break would see three Sydney players get called up to their national teams: Okon-Engstler and Toure for Australia; and Quispe for Peru.^[40]

A brace from Lolley and a goal from Alex Grant, meant that Sydney would return from the international break with a convincing 3–0 win at home over rivals Melbourne Victory.^[41] This marked the first time since the 2020–21 season that Sydney had won four consecutive league matches, and the first time since the 2019–20 season that the club finished a match week at the top of the table. Sydney's winning run would come to an abrupt halt on 29 November, with a controversial 0–1 defeat to the Western Sydney Wanderers in the Sydney Derby.^[42]

Sydney's strong form in the opening rounds of the season would see Talay and Lolley be awarded coach and PFA player of the month respectively.^[43][44]

Sydney recorded a Central Coast Mariners 2–1 comeback win in Gosford, with Campuzano and Toure scoring on 6 December.^[45] Despite missing Lolley and Okon-Engstler due to injury, Sydney would claim a 1–0 win over Perth Glory, after a fifth minute goal from Walatee helping the Sky Blues claim all three points in Perth.^[46] Sydney would lose top spot in the league to Auckland, after a 0–2 defeat away to the Newcastle Jets on 20 December.^[47]

On 23 December, Sydney was forced to cancel its 27 December match against Auckland FC after the pitch inspection at Leichhardt Oval deemed the playing surface unsafe and in an unsatisfactory condition due to large patches of mud and sand on the pitch.^[48] Chair of the APL Stephen Conroy called the situation "unacceptable", stating that "It's simply not good enough, and our game and our fans deserve better."^[3] The match was later rescheduled to take place on 17 February 2026.^[49]

On 24 December, Sydney announced that assistant coach John Maisano would depart the club after being offered a coaching role with La Liga club Real Sociedad.^[50]

Sydney would start the new year with a 0–0 draw away to Melbourne City, with goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares producing nine saves in the match.^[51] Sydney's performance drew criticism, after only managing 15 touches of the ball in Melbourne City's half in the second-half of the match, club legend Alex Brosque called the performance poorest display he had seen from the club since the inception of the A-League Men competition.^[52] On 10 January, Sydney bounced back in a 3–0 win over Macarthur FC, with goals coming from Quispe, Campuzano and Wood.^[53][54] Sydney's return to Allianz Stadium would end in disappointment, with Talay's men squandering the opportunity to return to the top of the table. Having played most of the match down a man after Youlley was sent off in the first half, the Sky Blues would lose 0–2 to the Wellington Phoenix.^[55][56]

Source: Sydney FC

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

Supplier: Under Armour / Sponsor: Macquarie University

Outfield players kits

Goalkeeper kits

The league fixtures were announced on 11 September 2025.^[75]

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixtures

Includes all competitions. Players with no appearances not included in the list.^[78]

As of match played 17 March 2026

Includes all competitions. The list is sorted by squad number when total cards are equal. Players with no cards not included in the list.^[78]

As of match played 17 March 2026

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 17 March 2026

• 2025–26 Sydney FC (women) season