The 2024–25 season was the 21st in the history of Adelaide United Football Club since its establishment in 2003. The club participated in the A-League Men for the 20th consecutive season, finishing sixth and qualified for the finals series for the 14th time, in which they failed to progress past the first round for the first time since 2018. The club also made its 10th consecutive appearance in the Australia Cup, in which they reached the semi-finals for the first time since 2019.
Adelaide United's pre-season was headlined by the loss of Nestory Irankunda, who joined Bayern Munich after agreeing terms with the club in November 2023 for a record domestic Australian transfer fee, and last season's top scorer, Hiroshi Ibusuki, who netted 15 goals across the 2023–24 season. Adelaide brought in young domestic players Archie Goodwin from Newcastle Jets, and Dylan Pierias from Western Sydney Wanderers. Experienced Dutch defender Bart Vriends joined the club at the end of June, and A-League stalwarts Ben Folami and Jordan Elsey were recruited in September. After two wins away to NPL clubs, Adelaide defeated Western Sydney Wanderers after extra time to reach the semi-finals for the first time since they won the competition in 2019, where they suffered a late 0–1 loss away to Melbourne Victory.
Adelaide started the A-League Men season eight games undefeated, which included a 4–0 win away to Central Coast Mariners. Their first defeat came in the last match of 2024, giving up a two-goal advantage at home against Western Sydney Wanderers. The Reds returned to form in January, going the month undefeated, including a 3–2 win at home against rivals Melbourne Victory, their first win over the Victorians in 800 days, which sent them top of the ladder. After this, the Reds won just two of their remaining 14 league matches, scraping into finals by a single point, where they were defeated 2–3 in the elimination-finals by Western United. Despite this, Archie Goodwin became the first Adelaide United player since Sergio van Dijk in 2010–11 to win the A-League Men Golden Boot award with 13 goals across the season, joint with Sydney FC's Adrian Segecic.
Season summary Pre-season On 10 May 2024, 20-year-old goalkeeper Ethan Cox extended his contract for a further three years, having come through Football SA's NTC program. On 14 May, the departure of Ben Halloran was announced. Two days later, Hiroshi Ibusuki departed the club by mutual consent. Hiroshi was last season's top scorer with 15 goals in 26 matches and intended to remain with the club; however, his request for a longer-term deal was rejected. On 17 May, Nick Ansell, Lachlan Barr, Harry Van der Saag, and Ben Warland were released following the expiration of their contracts.
On 27 May, former Dutch international Ernest Faber was announced as the club's new technical director in order to improve the club's coaching and recruitment. The announcement came a few months after a strategic partnership with PSV Eindhoven was finalised. On 28 May, three Adelaide United players, Luka Jovanovic, Bailey O'Neil, and Jonny Yull, were selected for the Young Socceroos' squad for their June tour of South America. The next day, Nestory Irankunda was named as one of eight A-League Men players to feature in the Socceroos' squad for their final second round World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh and Palestine. This was Irankunda's first official call-up to the squad, having previously joined as a train-on player in March 2023. The callup came a week after Irankunda publicly commented that he would consider his international future with other nations if he wasn't called up to the Socceroos squad, as he was eligible to represent Burundi or Tanzania.
On 4 June, Spaniards Isaías and Javi López both signed a one-year contract extension ahead of their joint retirement at the end of the season, whilst studying for coaching badges. On 6 June, 19-year-old Newcastle Jets centre-forward, Archie Goodwin, signed with Adelaide United on a four-year contract. On 21 June, 24-year-old winger, Dylan Pierias, signed with the club on a three-year contract, following his expiration of his contract with Western Sydney Wanderers. On 25 June, Musa Toure was signed by Ligue 2 side Clermont Foot for an undisclosed fee. The next day, Austin Ayoubi signed a two-year contract extension with the club. On 30 June, 33-year-old Dutch centre-back, Bart Vriends, signed a two-year contract with Adelaide, joining from Eredivise club, Sparta Rotterdam. On 4 July, young centre-back, Panagiotis Kikianis, signed a five-year contract with the club, the longest contract in A-League history.
Adelaide United played their first pre-season friendly on 9 July against The Cove of SA State League 2, winning 9–0 in front of 2,500 spectators, with goals from Dylan Pierias, Ryan Kitto, Austin Ayoubi, Archie Goodwin, Ryan White, and braces from Luka Jovanovic and Yaya Dukuly. A second pre-season friendly took place a week later on 16 July against Adelaide Blue Eagles of State League 1, which United won 6–0. Stefan Mauk scored twice in addition to goals from Goodwin, Pierias, Jovanovic and Ayoubi. The final friendly before the Australia Cup was an 8–1 win against Cumberland United, with Jovanovic scoring once, Panashe Madanha and Zach Clough scoring braces and Goodwin getting a hat-trick.
Australia Cup
The draw for the Australia Cup round of 32 took place on 19 June 2024. Adelaide United were drawn away to NPL NSW side Blacktown City. Stefan Mauk gave Adelaide the lead midway through the first half, but Blacktown equalised in the second half, forcing extra time. Yaya Dukuly broke the deadlock after eight minutes and Austin Ayoubi confirmed the result in the 108th. Blacktown brought one back in the dying minutes, as Adelaide progressed to the next round.
On 6 August, Adelaide United completed the signing of 19-year-old Dutch winger Julian Kwaaitaal on a three-year deal with the option to extend for a further year from PSV Eindhoven. The club immediately loaned him out to Eerste Divisie club, FC Eindhoven, which ensured that Kwaaitaal didn't take up a visa slot. On 7 August, the club released their home kit for the season, which pays homage to Adelaide's nickname as the 'City of Churches', with a design inspired by the archway of St Peter's Cathedral. The kit was showcased at Adelaide's fourth friendly match against West Adelaide to open the Hellas' new home stadium, the Kilburn Sportsplex. Adelaide won the match 8–0; Austin Ayoubi scored four goals, trialist Godwin Bentil got a brace, and Jonny Yull and Josh Cavallo scored one each. On 8 August, Feyzo Kasumović, Malual Nichola and Amlani Tatu signed three-year scholarship contracts with the club, and the next day, Ethan Alagich became the second Reds player to sign a five-year contract with the club. Adelaide played a fifth friendly match against Adelaide Croatia Raiders on 14 August, winning the match 3–1 with goals from Luka Jovanovic, Austin Ayoubi and Josh Cavallo.
In the round of 16, Adelaide were drawn against away to NPL WA side, Olympic Kingsway. Austin Ayoubi opened the scoring after 11 minutes, however, Liam Boland equalised for the hosts shortly before half time. Adelaide retook the lead in the 48th minute through an own goal, and extended their lead in the 71st. Kingsway brought one back in the 85th minute through a penalty, the match ending 3–2 in United's favour.
On 5 September, the club's chairman, Ned Morris, stepped down from his role, transitioning to an advisory role after 18 months in charge of the club. On 10 September, former captain and club legend, Travis Dodd, returned to the club as an assistant coach.
Adelaide United hosted the Western Sydney Wanderers in the quarter-finals of the competition, at ServiceFM Stadium. Austin Ayoubi once again opened the scoring for United, who dominated the match until the Wanderers equalised in the 68th minute to bring the match to extra time. Three minutes after the restart, Ryan Kitto retook the lead for United, who advanced to the semi-final for the first time since they won the competition in 2019.
On 15 September, 19-year-old goalkeeper, Max Vartuli, signed a three-year contract with Adelaide United, joining from Sydney FC Youth. On 17 September, Ben Folami joined the club on a four-year deal from rivals Melbourne Victory. On 19 September, centre-back, Jordan Elsey, returned to the club on a one-year contract.
Adelaide were knocked out of the cup at the semi-final stage for the first time in the competition's history, falling late away to rivals, Melbourne Victory.
On 25 September, the $53.5 million redevelopment to Coopers Stadium was completed. Safe standing was installed in the N13 and N14 bays, additional screens were installed around the ground, and the pitch was re-laid with turf which is said to be superior during summer. The Reds travelled to Mildura to play in a pre-season friendly again Brisbane Roar, which ended in a 1–1 draw. Adelaide played one final pre-season match against Melbourne City on 14 October. The behind-closed-doors match ended in a 1–0 win.
A-League Men
October–January Adelaide United participated in the A-League Men for the 20th time. The full fixture list was released on 2 August 2024. Adelaide United received a bye in the first, 11th and final rounds. Their season kicked off on 26 October 2024 with a 1–1 draw at home against Central Coast Mariners; Luka Jovanovic scored the opener in the 10th minute, however they were unable to extend their lead before the Mariners equalised in the 62nd minute. They followed this up with two wins before the international break; a 4–3 win away against Western Sydney Wanderers, and a 2–1 win at home against Western United, where the opposition controversially didn't receive a penalty after Ryan Kitto fouled Abel Walatee in the box whilst the scores were level. Football Australia's head of referees, Jon Moss, said in a statement two days later that VAR made an "error in judgement", and that a penalty should have been awarded.
After the international break, Adelaide faced Brisbane Roar in the second edition of Unite Round. Falling behind twice during the match, Adelaide eventually won 3–2, thanks to Archie Goodwin's 62nd minute goal, his first for the club. A week later, they drew 2–2 with Perth Glory, in which United had two goals disallowed for offside, and a late penalty claim for a handball ignored. Adelaide travelled to Northern New South Wales to play Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners in back-to-back weeks. An early Stefan Mauk goal was the only of a 1–0 win over the Jets, in which Ben Folami was sent off for "serious unsporting conduct" "after making contact to the face of Phillip Cancar in a tussle with the Newcastle Jets defender." A week later, Adelaide snapped a five-year winless run in Gosford with a 4–0 win against the Mariners. Goodwin opened the scoring early, and a second-half blitz from Kikianis, Mauk, and Dukuly gave Adelaide their biggest win since October 2023. The match was Isaías' 239th A-League appearance for the club, surpassing current goalkeeping coach Eugene Galekovic for the record of most league matches played.