How Much Do Semi-Pro Soccer Players Earn In Australia
If you often wonder how much do soccer players make, or what the average soccer players salary is then read on, or if reading isn’t your thing check out the video further down the page, because today I’m going to talk about how much semi-professional soccer players can earn in Australia…that’s right, I said Australia 🇦🇺.
I would suggest that Australia isn’t the first country that comes to your mind when talking about pursuing a career in professional or semi-professional soccer?
But in actual fact, for a semi-professional soccer player, Australia has semi-pro football leagues that pay!
But before we dive into this I think we need to take a few steps back and let me explain to you how soccer, or football, works in Australia.
Australian Soccer Leagues
At the top of the Australian soccer league pyramid, Level 1, you have the Hyundai A-League which is a full-time professional league made up of 10 teams.
Beneath this is Level 2, which is made up of a total of 10 leagues. Eight National Premier League (NPL) divisions, a NorZone Premier League and a Southern Zone Premier League.
This is technically the start of the semi-professional level, though you will find some players at this level earning a full-time salary,
Level 3 is a mixture of 11 leagues consisting of NPL leagues, State Leagues, and Capital Leagues, stick with me here… Again players at this level should be considered semi-professional soccer players.
For the sake of your sanity, I will only go down to Level 4, which would still be considered semi-professional. But if you want to investigate further then check out this table.
Now that we’ve got that out the way, let’s talk about what is expected of a semi-professional soccer player in Australia.
Expectations of a Semi-Pro Soccer Player
It’s pretty simple really, you are expected to act like a professional, keep yourself in good condition and behave in an appropriate manner.
The further you go down the levels, the more lenient the clubs become.
But like anything in life, if you want to succeed and stand out you need to be going above and beyond what everyone else is doing.
As a semi-professional soccer player, you are expected to train between two to three times a week, plus one game day, which would usually be on the weekend.
All training sessions are held in the evening which is ideal as it makes it easy for players to find a full time or part time job as well…doubling your earning potential!
Club Negotiations
So now you know about the leagues and what the soccer clubs expect of you, next let’s talk about preparing you for when the negotiations begin.
Coaches will be instructed by their committee what funds are available to them for the season.
The coach will normally take this total number and divide it up over the number of rounds played.
This gives the coach his weekly budget of what he can afford when recruiting players.
There are two common structures to a semi-professional soccer players salary in Australia.
- A flat weekly fee, regardless of the team’s result.
- A separate fee for a Win, Draw or Loss. – This is more common, especially as you move down the levels.
So what is this fee you talk of? I hear you ask…well here it comes.
How Much Do Semi-Pro Soccer Players Earn In Australia?
Alright, we’ve covered the leagues, the expectations, training and how the clubs and coaches work out their budgets.
Let’s get into the real reason you’re here.
Soccer players coming out of England playing in tiers eight, nine or ten get your passports ready!
Playing in a league of a similar standard in Australia will result in you more than doubling your money (in most cases).
It’s not uncommon for players to earn anywhere from $100 per week to $1,500 and beyond.
Obviously, walking into a club or a league where you are unknown and demanding a salary at the higher end of that scale if unrealistic.
Coaches and clubs want to invest in players they know can get the job done.
This usually means someone who has experience playing in that division or higher. But someone with a ‘reputation’.
Because of this, if you’re a new player from overseas, or perhaps a young player securing their first senior spot, you may have to accept taking a lower initial salary to start with.
Put in the work, demonstrate what you can do and then re-negotiate.
The football community is very close in Australia and players find their level very quickly.
It may be that you have to take a small step backward in terms of pay to then take two big steps forward.
How Can I Become a Semi-Pro Soccer Player in Australia?
First and foremost we would say practice!
You need to have the ability, there is no magic switch we can flick to get you place on a semi-pro squad if you can’t pass a ball 10 yards.
But, we know you wouldn’t be here if that was the case.
Over the years we have helped a number of footballers find opportunities with semi-professional teams.
During this time we have worked hard to build up our network within the game and now we want to share that with you.
Now you can create your online football CV on our network and get instant access to coaches, clubs and agents looking to recruit talented footballers just like you!
Click HERE to find out more.
Thanks for making it this far, if you have any questions please leave them in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer them.
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