There will be no 3 p.m. A-League Women games between December and March, with the majority starting at 5 p.m. or later, to protect players from taking the field in extreme heat, the Australian Professional Leagues confirmed on Thursday.
In releasing the women's season fixture, the competition, which will branded the Ninja A-League, confirmed games played from round five in early December to round 21 in March have been pushed back as part of its heat policy.
Most games will start at 5 p.m. at the earliest, though there are a handful that will commence at 4 p.m., 4.20 p.m. or 4.50 p.m. due to time zones and broadcast commitments.
Playing later in the day should better protect players, staff and spectators, improve quality of play and reduce fixture changes.
The A-League Women 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 Dec. 27 to Jan. 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 Nov. 1 and will add an additional regular-season game through Unite Round at Leichhardt Oval between Friday, Nov. 22 and Sunday, Nov. 24.
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.
Western United will open the season against Wellington Phoenix on a Friday night -- Nov. 1 -- at Ironbark Fields in Tarneit. The venue lost power during United's elimination-final loss to Newcastle.
"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.
Melbourne 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 quarterfinals.
ROUND ONE A-LEAGUE WOMEN FIXTURES (ALL TIMES AEDT)
Friday, Nov. 1
- Western United vs. Wellington Phoenix (7 p.m., Ironbark Fields)
Saturday, Nov. 2
- Central Coast Mariners vs. Sydney FC (2.15 p.m., Industree Group Stadium)
- Canberra United vs. Brisbane Roar (4 p.m., McKellar Park)
- Adelaide United vs. Melbourne Victory (5 p.m., ServiceFM Stadium)
Sunday, Nov. 3
- Melbourne City vs. Perth Glory (3 p.m., City Football Academy)
- Newcastle Jets vs. Western Sydney Wanderers (4 p.m., No.2 Sportsground)