The Australia men's national soccer team played their first international match in 1922. They have won one AFC Asian Cup title in 2015 in addition to four OFC Nations Cup titles in 1980, 1996, 2000 and 2004. Australia have never won the FIFA World Cup, with their best performance being a finish in the Round of 16 in 2006 and 2022.

1916 Olympics The founding of the Commonwealth Football Association (CFA) in 1911 led to calls from state affiliates to enter an Australian team in the 1916 Summer Olympics. There was discussion and some confusion over whether Australia needed to be directly affiliated with FIFA to compete. There was a view that the Australia was entitled to compete as a result of the CFA's affiliation with The Football Association. In 1912, two directives were issued by FIFA. The first required Olympic football participants to be affiliated with FIFA. The second exempted colonies from a requirement to separately affiliate. Ultimately, these provisions were never tested due to the onset of World War I.

1922–64: Early years

The first Australia national team was constituted in 1922 for a tour of New Zealand, which included two defeats and a draw in the Test matches played v the New Zealand side. The first Australia international match was a 3–1 defeat on 17 June 1922 with an attendance of 7,000. The Australia line-up was George Cartwright (NSW), D. Cumberford (Queensland.). A. Gibb (Q.), C. Shenton (Q.), P. Doyle (N.S.W.), W. Dane (N.S.W.), J. Cumberford (Q.). W. Maunder (N.S.W.). D. Ward (N.S.W.). and T. Thompson (N.S.W.). A. Fisher (N.S.W.). The tour ended with a 1–1 draw in Wellington and another 3–1 loss in Auckland.From the Archives, 1922: Australia's first international soccer match By Chris Berry and Staff writers at The Sunday Morning Herald, 11 June 2022

Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa became regular opponents in test (exhibition) matches for the next 36 years, with Australia playing South Africa on 14 occasions in three test series and Australia playing trans-Tasman neighbours New Zealand on 21 occasions in seven test series during that time period. During that period, Australia also competed against Canada and India during their tours of Australia in 1924 and 1938 respectively. Australia recorded their worst ever defeat on 30 June 1951 as they lost 17–0 in a test match to a touring England side.

Australia would have a rare opportunity to compete on the world's stage during the team's very first major international tournament as hosts of the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. A squad coached by Richard Telfer set out to try to win the tournament on home turf where they were drawn against Japan in the round of 16 (as the tournament was held in the knock-out stage format). A goal in each half, a penalty scored by Graham McMillan in the 26th minute and then a goal by Irish born striker Frank Loughran in the 61st minute, was enough to see off Japan. Facing India in the quarter-final stages, two goals from Bruce Morrow saw Australia equalise twice in the first half (first 1–1 and then 2–2). The teams were locked at 2–2 until the 50th minute, when India's Neville D'Souza put his side ahead before Krishna Kittu added another in the 80th minute. It was ultimately the squad's lack of experience that proved to be reason for the team's disappointing performance in the tournament, with Laurie Schwab from The Age commenting, "Australian soccer has lost a wonderful chance to gain world prominence and the game has suffered a body blow". The advent of cheap air travel in the 1960s allowed Australia to diversify its range of opponents. However, its geographical isolation continued to play a role in its destiny for the next 30 years.

1965–90: First FIFA World Cup campaigns

1966 FIFA World Cup qualification Australia's first attempt to qualify for a FIFA World Cup was in 1965. Australia was originally to compete against 18 African and Asian nations for one World Cup qualifying position. However, after the suspension of South Africa by FIFA and the withdrawal of all but one of the competing teams, Australia was left to play against North Korea in a two-legged series. The winner would take the 16th qualifying position for the 1966 FIFA World Cup the following year. The two match series was played in neutral Cambodia, the first of which, Australia lost 6–1 with Les Scheinflug scoring the only goal of the match. In the second match, three days later Australia gained the lead in the 15th minute from a Les Scheinflug goal but North Korea would come back to win the match 3–1 to take out the tie with an aggregate score of 9–2.

In the wake of this loss, Australia competed in the 1967 South Vietnam Independence Cup as they were put in Group A with the host nation (South Vietnam), Singapore and New Zealand. After making it all the way to the final to take on South Korea where they would claim their first international trophy with a 3–2 win over the Koreans. But this tournament would only gain little recognition domestically.

1970 FIFA World Cup qualification Australia's 1970 FIFA World Cup qualification began in 1969, with a series of home and away group matches, against South Korea and Japan. After topping the group, Australia then advanced to the next stage where they would play Rhodesia in a two-legged fixture in Maputo. After drawing the first leg 1–1 and the second leg 0–0, a third decider match was played where Australia won 3–1. Israel, having itself knocked out New Zealand at the equivalent stage, was then drawn as Australia's final hurdle. The first match, of a home and away fixture was lost 1–0 in Tel Aviv. A 1–1 draw in Sydney saw Australia eliminated from qualification, with Israel progressing to the 1970 FIFA World Cup after their 2–1 aggregate win.

1974 FIFA World Cup The road to the 1974 World Cup began with a series of home and away group matches in 1973, against Iraq, New Zealand and Indonesia. Australia, having topped the group, then advanced to the next stage where they played and won a two-legged fixture against Iran, managing to hold on to a slim overall lead in front of 120,000 Iranian fans in the Azadi Stadium, Tehran, during the second leg. South Korea, having itself knocked out Israel at the equivalent stage, was then drawn as Australia's final hurdle. Over the course of another two-legged playoff the scores remained even at 2–2, and so a deciding match was played in Hong Kong. Australia won this match 1–0, through a Jimmy Mackay goal, scored off a free kick. This win secured Australian a spot at the 1974 FIFA World Cup in West Germany, the first ever appearance for the country.

Australia were drawn into Group A consisting of hosts and favourites West Germany, East Germany and Chile. Australia held the East German's 0–0 at half-time before defender Colin Curran deflected the ball into his own net early in the second half. East German striker Joachim Streich then secured the points with a goal halfway through the second half, with the game finishing 2–0. Australia lost their following match to West Germany 3–0 with goals to Wolfgang Overath, Bernhard Cullmann and star-striker Gerd Müller. Having lost both their opening games, Australia could not proceed further in the tournament, though the Australians managed to hold Chile to a scoreless draw, seeing Australia earn its first ever World Cup finals point. It would prove be the only FIFA World Cup appearance for Australia until the tournament returned to Germany more than three decades later, in 2006.

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification The 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification saw Australia grouped with New Zealand and Chinese Taipei in the first group round in 1977. After topping their group, Australia progressed to the final round where they would play Iran, South Korea, Kuwait and Hong Kong who all won their respected groups in the previous round. The teams would play a series of home and away matches with the overall winner gaining qualifying to the 1978 FIFA World Cup. After playing eight matches, Australia managed only three wins, a draw and four losses, resulting in their elimination from the qualifying campaign.

1980 Oceania Cup Despite being heavily involved in the formation of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), Australia did not enter the 1973 Oceania Cup due to the Australian Soccer Federation attempting, unsuccessfully, to become aligned with the Asia Football Confederation. Australia selected a young team for the 1980 Oceania Cup. Australia comfortably qualified for the final, with three wins in the group stage. Their second win of the group stage, an 11–2 defeat of Papua New Guinea, was the only match of the tournament recorded as a full international match. Australia defeated Tahiti 4–2 in the final to win their first continental title.

1982 FIFA World Cup qualification Australia's 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification was short lived. A series of home and away group matches in 1981, against New Zealand, Indonesia Chinese Taipei and Fiji saw Australia second-bested by New Zealand. After eight matches, including four wins, two draws and two losses, Australia bowed out to New Zealand.

1986 FIFA World Cup qualification The 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification began in 1985, with Australia grouped against Israel, New Zealand and Chinese Taipei in the Oceanian zone. Australia advanced after topping the group in six matches, winning four, drawing two and losing none.

Australia then had to compete in a home-and-away intercontinental play-off against Scotland, with the winner gaining qualification to the 1986 FIFA World Cup. The match against Scotland would also be Sir Alex Ferguson's national coaching debut, taking over Jock Stein's position after he collapsed and died from a heart attack at the end of the Scotland's previous qualifying match against Wales. In the first leg of the play-off, played in Glasgow on 20 November 1985, Scotland took the lead in the 53rd minute from a twenty-yard free kick. The second goal arrived in the 59th minute. The second leg played in Melbourne on 4 December, finished goalless which was enough for Scotland to better Australia, advancing with an aggregate score of 2–0.

1988 Seoul Olympics Australia's path to the 1988 Seoul Olympics started with the Oceania qualifying series against Taiwan, New Zealand and Israel. Australia, the eventual winner of this series qualified automatically for the finals in Seoul on 27 March 1988. For the Olympic Games, coach Frank Arok had comfortably chosen a strong squad, consisting of ex-Nottingham Forest defender Alan Davidson and Sydney Olympic striker John Kosmina. The squad also included Graham Arnold, Frank Farina and Charlie Yankos. Australia would participate in Group D, where they were drawn against Brazil, Yugoslavia and Nigeria. 12,000 spectators in Seoul saw Frank Farina fire past Yugoslavian keeper Dragoje Leković on 48 minutes to claim a 1–0 victory in their opening group stage clash. Australia then took on Brazil which saw a hat-trick from Romario to defeat the Olyroos 3–0. A 76-minute goal from John Kosmina against Nigeria saw Australia advance to the knock-out stages, where the 1–0 victory saw them finish in second place of their group. Drawn against the Soviet Union, after a scoreless first half, Australia were beaten 3-0 thanks to two goals in the space of four minutes from Dynamo Moscow midfielder Igor Dobrovolski and another by Dynamo Kiev midfielder Alexei Mikhailichenko on 62 minutes. Australia's David Mitchell saw red on 68 minutes as Australia would be eliminated. The 1988 tournament would be the last Olympic Games before the under-23 age restriction, resulting in the Australia under-23 team competing instead.

In July 1988, Australia defeated Argentina 4–1 in the Bicentennial Gold Cup.

1990 FIFA World Cup qualification