New to the PlayStation 4 NPL Finals Series? Here's everything you need to know.
Background
This year marks the fourth edition of the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues (NPL) Finals Series. The PlayStation 4 NPL Finals Series is a national knockout competition for the first placed clubs of Australia’s eight NPL competitions. The Premiers within each Member Federation NPL division (1st at the conclusion of the home and away season) progress to the PlayStation 4 NPL Finals Series.
Five Member Federations competed in the inaugural NPL Finals Series in 2013, with Sydney United 58 FC defeating South Hobart in the Grand Final to be crowned the first National Premier Leagues Champions of Australia.
In 2014 the competition expanded to eight entrants, which also saw PlayStation 4 officially unveiled as the naming rights partner of not only the Final Series but each respective National Premier Leagues competition run by each of the eight Member Federations around the country.
Other previous winners of the PlayStation 4 NPL Finals Series include MetroStars (SA) in 2014 and Blacktown City (NSW) in 2015.
Format and Finals Series structure
The PlayStation 4 NPL 2016 Finals Series will take place over a three week period consisting of four Elimination Finals and two Semi Finals before culminating in the Grand Final.
Every match in the PlayStation 4 NPL 2016 Finals Series is sudden-death, with extra time and penalties to be held if required.
For the first time, this year’s matchups and groupings of the Elimination Finals and subsequent Semi Finals were determined by a random draw. This is in contrast to previous years when Member Federations were coupled together based on geographic location.
In order to determine the host Federation for the Semi Finals and Grand Final, the following points system will apply at the conclusion of each stage of the Finals Series:
Win within regulation time = 3 points
Win during extra time = 2 points
Win in penalty shootout = 1 point
Goals scored (excluding penalty shootouts) = 3 points
Goals conceded (excluding penalty shootouts) = -1 point
Yellow cards = -1 point
Red cards = -3 points
The winner of the PlayStation 4 NPL Finals Series will be crowned PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues Champions of Australia. The PlayStation 4 NPL 2016 Champions will also receive automatic entry into the Round of 32 of the Westfield FFA Cup 2017.
Match Dates
Dates for the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues 2016 Finals Series are as follows:
Elimination Finals 17/18 September
Semi Finals 24/25 September
Grand Final 1/2/3 October
Finals Series Draw
The draw conducted to determine the matchups for the PlayStation 4 NPL 2016 Finals Series resulted in the following:
Elimination Finals (matches will be played in the Member Federation listed as Home)
|
Match |
Home |
Away |
|
1 |
Football West |
Football Federation Tasmania |
|
2 |
Football Federation Victoria |
Northern New South Wales Football |
|
3 |
Football Queensland |
Capital Football |
|
4 |
Football New South Wales |
Football Federation South Australia |
Semi Finals (hosts to be confirmed)
|
Match |
TBC |
TBC |
|
5 |
Winner of Match 1 |
Winner of Match 2 |
|
6 |
Winner of Match 3 |
Winner of Match 4 |
Grand Final (host to be confirmed)
|
Match |
TBC |
TBC |
|
7 |
Winner of Match 5 |
Winner of Match 6 |
John Kosmina Medallists (Best player in the Grand Final)
2015 Joey Gibbs (Blacktown City)
2014 David Vrankovic (Bonnyrigg White Eagles)
2013 Glen Trifiro (Sydney United 58 FC)
2016 Entrants
Football West (WA)
- Perth SC
Football Federation Tasmania (TAS)
- Devonport Strikers
Football Federation Victoria (VIC)
- Bentleigh Greens
Northern NSW Football (NNSW)
- Edgeworth Eagles
Football Queensland (QLD)
- Brisbane Strikers
Capital Football (ACT)
- Canberra Olympic
Football NSW (NSW)
- Sydney United 58 FC
Football Federation South Australia (SA)
- Adelaide City
2015 Finals Series Results
|
Elimination Finals |
Venue |
Kick-Off (AEST) |
|||
|
Match 1 19/09/15 |
Moreton Bay United (Football Queensland) |
3:1 |
Edgeworth FC (Northern NSW Football) |
QSAC |
7:30pm |
|
Match 2 20/09/15 |
Blacktown City (Football NSW) |
4:1 |
Canberra FC (Capital Football) |
Lilys Football Stadium |
4:00pm |
|
Match 3 19/09/15 |
South Melbourne FC (Football Federation Victoria) |
1:2 |
Olympia FC (Football Federation Tasmania) |
Lakeside Stadium |
4:00pm |
|
Match 4 20/09/15 |
West Adelaide SC (Football Federation South Australia) |
1:2 |
Bayswater City (Football West) |
Adelaide Shores Football Centre |
3:00pm |
|
Semi Finals |
|
|
|||
|
Match 5 26/09/15 |
Blacktown City |
2:1 |
Moreton Bay United |
Lilys Football Stadium |
7:30pm |
|
Match 6 27/09/15 |
Bayswater City |
6:0 |
Olympia FC |
Frank Drago Reserve |
4:30pm |
|
Grand Final |
|
|
|||
|
Match 7 3/10/15 |
Bayswater City |
1:3 |
Blacktown City |
Dorrien Gardens |
8:30pm |
2014 Finals Series Results
|
Elimination Finals |
Venue |
Kick-Off (AEST) |
|||
|
Match 1 20/09/14 |
Weston Workers (Northern NSW Football) |
1:2 |
Palm Beach Sharks (Football Queensland) |
Rockwell Automation Park |
7:00pm |
|
Match 2 20/09/14 |
Cooma Tigers (Capital Football) |
1:6 |
Bonnyrigg White Eagles (Football NSW) |
AIS Athletics Field |
2:30pm |
|
Match 3 20/09/14 |
South Hobart (Football Federation Tasmania) |
0:1 |
South Melbourne FC (Football Federation Victoria) |
South Hobart Ground |
1:30pm |
|
Match 4 20/09/14 |
Bayswater City (Football West) |
0:0 aet 3:4 pso |
MetroStars (Football Federation South Australia) |
Frank Drago Reserve |
4:00pm |
|
Semi Finals |
|
|
|||
|
Match 5 27/09/14 |
Bonnyrigg White Eagles |
1:0 |
Palm Beach Sharks |
Bonnyrigg Sports Club |
6:00pm |
|
Match 6 28/09/14 |
South Melbourne FC |
1:2 |
MetroStars |
Lakeside Stadium |
3:00pm |
|
Grand Final |
|
|
|||
|
Match 7 4/10/14 |
Bonnyrigg White Eagles |
0:1 |
MetroStars |
Lambert Park, Leichhardt |
4:00pm |
aet – after extra time
pso – penalty shootout
2013 Finals Series Results
|
Elimination Finals |
Venue |
Kick-Off (AEST) |
|||
|
Match 1 |
Olympic FC (Football Queensland) |
|
Bye |
|
|
|
Match 2 29/09/13 |
Sydney United 58 FC (Football NSW) |
2:1 |
Canberra FC (Capital Football) |
Sydney United Sports Centre |
3:00pm |
|
Match 3 |
Bye |
|
South Hobart (Football Federation Tasmania) |
|
|
|
Match 4 |
Campbelltown City (Football Federation South Australia) |
|
Bye |
|
|
|
Semi Finals |
|
|
|||
|
Match 5 5/10/13 |
Olympic FC |
3:4 |
Sydney United 58 FC |
QSAC |
6:00pm |
|
Match 6 6/10/13 |
South Hobart |
3:1 |
Campbelltown City |
South Hobart Ground |
12:00pm |
|
Grand Final |
|
|
|||
|
Match 7 13/10/13 |
South Hobart |
0:2 |
Sydney United 58 FC |
KGV Football House |
2:00pm |