Australian Championship introduces shootout bonus points for drawn group games
The Australian Championship will use penalty shootouts to award an extra point in its upcoming group stage, with every match level after 90 minutes going straight to spot kicks.
The shootout winner will take two points from the fixture, while the losing side receives one. The result will still be logged as a draw, and there will be no extra time.
Who is affected
- The competition’s eight permanent Australian Championship clubs.
- The eight National Premier Leagues premiers joining them in the 16-team group phase.
- All sides drawn in the four groups of four, where each club plays six matches.
The new points system applies only in the opening stage. The top two teams in each group will advance to an eight-club knockout round, meaning shootout bonus points could prove decisive in the race for qualification.
Officials have introduced the measure to keep matches alive to the final kick and give players more experience of high-pressure penalty situations. The format is similar to the Leagues Cup system involving MLS and Liga MX clubs.
Not Australia’s first shootout-point experiment
Australian football previously used a penalty bonus-point arrangement in the 1994-95 National Soccer League season. The latest version was agreed after discussions with member clubs and the Japanese Football Association.
Japan has recently adopted a comparable approach for its temporary J1 100 Year Vision League while its domestic calendar shifts to an August-to-May schedule.
What happens next
The rule will take effect when the Australian Championship begins after the National Premier Leagues season. Any group-stage game that finishes level in normal time will immediately be settled by penalties for the additional point.
