APIA Leichhardt FC ( ), also known simply as APIA (, ), is a semi-professional soccer club based in the suburb of Leichhardt in Sydney, New South Wales (NSW). Its senior men's and women's teams play in the National Premier Leagues NSW (NPL) and NSW Women's, in the second tier of the Australian league system. It plays its home games at both Lambert Park and Leichhardt Oval. With Wests Ashfield, the club also co-owns Wests APIA FC, a foundation club in the Australian Championship.
Founded in 1954 by the Italian Australian community in Sydney's Inner West, APIA was one of the charter members of Football NSW, and competed in its first division, where it won four NSW titles. On the national stage, the club appeared in four straight Australia Cup finals from 1964 to 1967, winning one, and subsequently joined the burgeoning National Soccer League (NSL) in 1979. It played fourteen seasons in the league, during which it won a championship, and two NSL Cups. Facing financial troubles, APIA exited following the 1991–92 season, and returned to NSW's first division, where it has remained since. Its women's team suffered a relegation in 2013, though eventually regained promotion to the first division in 2020.
APIA's honours include seven NSW men's titles, one women's title, six Waratah Cups, and two Sapphire Cups. Its best performances in the modern-day Australia Cup are quarter-final appearances in 2018 and 2021. It also reached the NPL's national semi-finals in 2017.
History
The club was founded as the Associazione Poli-sportiva Italo Australiana ("APIA") in 1954 by members of the Italian-Australian community in Sydney's Inner West. After several years in the Canterbury District competition, the club joined the NSW Federation's state league.
In the 1960s APIA became one of the foremost soccer clubs in Australia and won the Premiership of NSW of the years 1964, 1966, 1967 and 1975, which was the highest level of achievement in the absence of a national competition. Between 1966 and 1974 APIA also won three times the State Cup of NSW, then named after a sponsor Ampol Cup. The 1974 final was considered "one of the most incredible finals" of the history of the club when skipper Jimmy Rooney and centreforward Peter Ollerton, who scored five goals, won 9–1 against Auburn in front of a crowd of 5210 at Wentworth Park, the highest finals result ever.
Rooney and Ollerton were also in the team that represented Australia a few months later in its first World Cup participation in Germany.
In 1979 APIA was given access to the National Soccer League, the top tier of Australian soccer since 1977. In 1987 APIA won the national championship, six points ahead of the Preston Makedonia Soccer Club from Melbourne, with then only two points awarded per win. The coach in that season was Rale Rasic. Charlie Yankos and Peter Katholos are probably the best known players from that side. The main cast of that year consisted of Tony Pezzano; Charlie Yankos, Arno Bertogna, Mark Brown, Jean-Paul de Marigny, Peter Tredinnick, Peter Katholos, Edward Lorens, Hilton Phillips, Gary Ward, Rod Brown and Tony Parison. In 1988 APIA won the National Soccer League Cup. By 1992 the APIA Leichhardt was overwhelmed by financial difficulties. The club was somewhat restructured and forthwith played on state level with the moniker "Tigers."
In 2017, APIA won the National Premier Leagues NSW premiership, but lost the grand final to Manly United FC on penalties. APIA also made the grand final of the 2017 Waratah Cup, but lost 3–1 to Hakoah Sydney City East FC.
In 2018, APIA won the 2018 Waratah Cup. On 21 August 2018, APIA defeated reigning A-League champions Melbourne Victory FC in the Round of 16 of the 2018 FFA Cup, becoming the seventh state-league side to beat a top-tier team in the knockout tournament. The result was billed as one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history.
APIA won the National Premier Leagues NSW Grand Final with a 2–1 victory over Sydney United in 2019. This was the first final ever played at Bankwest Stadium.
When the Football Federation Australia repealed its controversial National Club Identification Policy, which effectively banned clubs from having ethnic identities APIA dropped the "Tigers" moniker and reverted to its original badge.Historic NPL club APIA goes back to its roots with major re-brand, SBS, 2019-12-12
The club was announced on 20 November 2023, as one of the eight foundation teams for the Australian Championship, due to start October 2025. They will continue to play in the NPL NSW for the 2024 & 2025 season, before transitioning to the new league.
Venues
Lambert Park in Leichhardt is the club's traditional home ground. It was opened in 1954 and has, over the years, been used for most of the club's home games. It is still APIA's main ground and hosts all of the club's NPL matches. APIA has also hosted home games at a number of other venues, including Wentworth Park, Henson Park and, most notably, Leichhardt Oval, where Australia Cup ties against high-profile teams have typically been hosted.
Current squad Updated 8 April, 2026.
Seasons
Key to league competitions Div. 1 = Division One NSL = National Soccer League AC = Australian Championship NSWSL = NSW Super League NSWPL = NSW Premier League NPL NSW = National Premier Leagues NSW P Draws went to penalty shoot-outs during the 1993–1995 seasons (2 points for win, 1 point for loss). 1 Stage 1 of 1996 NSW Super League 2 Stage 1 of 1996 NSW Super League
Key to position colours and symbols 1st or W Winners 2nd or RU Runners-up 3rd Third ♦ Top scorer in division
Key to cup competitions AMP = Ampol Cup NPLF = National Premier Leagues Finals
Key to cup and finals results 1R, 2R, 3R...7R = 1st Round, 2nd Round, 3rd Round...7th Round GS = Group Stage EF = Elimination Final PF = Preliminary Final PO = Playoff Final R32 = Round of 32 R16 = Round of 16 QF = Quarterfinals SF = Semifinals RU = Runners-Up W = Winners Unk = Result unknown
SeasonLeagueWaratahCupAustraliaCupOtherTop scorerPlayer(s)Goals 1957 Div. 1 20 3 413 39 57 10 9th – QF 2R 1958 Div. 1 22 7 4 1141 41 18 8th – 1959 Div. 1 26 19 4 3 7233 422nd RU 1960 Div. 1 26 18 53 7125 41 2nd SF 1961 Div. 1 22 10 4 8 55 43 24 6th – – 1962 Div. 1 22 1336 6538 293rdSF W QF 1963 Div. 1 22 1435 7037 312ndRU QF 1964 Div. 1 22 1435 5935 311stW RU John Watkiss24 1965 Div. 1 18 1107 5128 223rdW RU John Giacometti 21 1966 Div. 1 18 1341 5516 301stRUW W W John Giacometti20 1967 Div. 1 22 1732 6519 371stRU RU John Giacometti 22 1968 Div. 1 22 1147 4225 293rdGS R16 1969 Div. 1 22 985 3526 264thW 3rd 1970 Div. 1 22 9112 3635 197th– W 1971 Div. 1 22 6511 2540 178th– 4th 1972 Div. 1 22 1183 3318 303rdSF 1973 Div. 1 22 1066 3834 265th– 1974 Div. 1 22 1246 4425 282ndPF W Paul Ollerton 18 1975 Div. 1 22 1354 3919 311stRUW Paul Ollerton 17 1976 Div. 1 22 1552 4917 352ndW 1977 Div. 1 22 1561 4615 362ndPF 1978 Div. 1 26 13310 364 296th– 1R 1979 NSL 26 11312 2937 258th N/A R16 Ken Reed7 1980 NSL 26 8711 2735 238th N/A R16 Phil O’Connor10 1981 NSL 30 12117 3933 354th N/A QF Marshall Soper 12 1982 NSL 30 12711 4954 317th N/A W Marshall Soper14 1983 NSL 30 11613 4236 398th N/A R16 John Bradley 12 1984 NSL/NC 28 1288 4335 324thPF SF Peter Katholos14 1985 NSL/NC 22 7213 2034 169th– R16 Peter Katholos14 1986 NSL/NC 22 967 2523 247th– R32 Terry Butler4 1987 NSL 24 1392 3921 351stW R16 Rod Brown 14 1988 NSL 26 8711 2835 2311th– W Hilton Phillips 8 1989 NSL 26 7910 2735 2310th– SF Rod Brown7 1989–90 NSL 26 1196 3625 316th– SF Rod Brown 10 1990–91 NSL 26 7712 2728 2111th– SF Alex Bundalo 6 1991–92 NSL 26 7118 2628 258th– R16 John Gibson8 1993 NSWSLP 26 106+28 3923 446th– 1994 NSWSLP 22 73+75 2019 348th– 1995 NSWSLP 26 104+57 2923 434th– 1996 NSWSL1 13 733 2014 243rd– NSWSL2 13454 192217 8th 1997 NSWSL 20 1235 2717 392ndPF John Buonavoglia 6 1998 NSWSL 21 867 3232 308th– John Buonavoglia 11 1999 NSWSL 22 1129 4337 357th– Steve Karavatakis 10 2000 NSWSL 26 1466 5339 483rdPF Steve Karavatakis 14 2000–01 NSWPL 18 828 4136 26 5th – 16 2001–02 NSWPL 22 1255 4029 414th EF 12 2002–03 NSWPL 22 1174 4425 402ndW Not held 17 2003–04 NSWPL 22 7312 2436 249th – SF 6 2004–05 NSWPL 22 949 2529 316th – SF 4 2006 NSWPL 18 3411 1638 1310th – RU 3 2007 NSWPL 18 846 2623 285th – 4R 9 2008 NSWPL 22 976 4135 346th – QF 21 2009 NSWPL 22 5710 3038 2211th – 4R 11 2010 NSWPL 22 1337 3937 393rd SF 4R 14 2011 NSWPL 22 6511 2436 2310th QF 5 2012 NSWPL 22 949 3231 316th RU 7 2013 NPL NSW 22 2812 2948 1411th W 7 2014 NPL NSW 22 4810 3151 2011th– 4R DNQ 9 2015 NPL NSW 22 1363 5631 452nd PF 4R DNQ 21 2016 NPL NSW 22 7511 3941 268th – 6R DNQ 11 2017 NPL NSW 22 1615 5018 491stRU RU R16 SF 12 2018 NPL NSW 22 1435 6228 452ndRU W QF 24 2019 NPL NSW221264 4228 422nd W6R DNQ 22 2020 NPL NSW11218 1227 7 12th Not held Not held Sean Symons 4 2021 NPL NSW17638 202121season cancelled QF 5 2022 NPL NSW221057 4133355th SF4RDNQ 11 2023 NPL NSW3020556435651st Not held RU R16 J. Armson - J. Stewart - 14 2024 NPL NSW3018397848573rd SF W R32 182025 NPL NSW3020467535552nd W SFR16 Presley Ortiz 15 AC6411124131st QF - - - Dredon Kelly 3
Correct as of 14th August 2025
Source OzFootball
APIA Leichhardt FC Women's
SeasonLeagueSapphire CupTop scorerPlayer(s)Goals 2025 NPL1 NSW Women2615475232492nd RU W Ash Crofts 20 2024 NPL1 NSW Women 2615655537512ndRU QF Ash Crofts 16 2023 NPL1 NSW Women 2619526426621st PF W Ash Crofts 24 2022 NPL1 NSW Women 2212464825402nd PF - Shea Connors 16 2021 NPL1 NSW Women 126422316224thPF - Lisa Devanna 5 2020 NPL1 NSW Women 115242017178th- - Georia Yeoman-Dale 5 2019 NPL2 NSW Women 22174110517551st RU - Ash Palombi33 2018 NPL2 NSW Women 2213455933434thSF - Ash Palombi17 2017 NSW State League Women 1814318314451st RU - 2016 NSW State League Women 2114345617451st RU - 2015 NSW State League Women 2182113149266th- - 2014 NSW State League Women 202018259267th- - 2013 NSW State League Women 22341521701311th- - 2012 NSW Women’s Super League 182313235597th- - 2011 NSW Women’s Super League 1816026914481st W - 2010 NSW Women’s Super League 168533922294thRU -
Correct as of 10th August 2025
Honours Regional National Premier Leagues NSW Premiers (7): 1964, 1966, 1967, 1975, 2017, 2023, 2026 Runners-Up (11): 1959, 1960, 1963, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1997, 2002–03, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2025 National Premier Leagues NSW Grand Finals Championships (7): 1964, 1965, 1969, 1976, 2002–03, 2019, 2025 Runners-Up (7): 1959, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1975, 2017, 2018, Waratah Cup Winners (6): 1962, 1966, 1975, 2013, 2018, 2024 Runners-Up (4): 2006, 2012, 2017, 2023 Johnny Warren Cup Winners (1): 2007 Ampol Cup Winners (3): 1966, 1970, 1974
National National Soccer League Champions (1): 1987 Premiers (1): 1987 National Soccer League Australia Cup Winners (1): 1966 Runners-Up (3): 1964, 1965, 1967 NSL Cup Winners (2): 1982, 1988
Individual honours National National Soccer League Coach of the Year (1) Rale Rasic - 1987 Australian Championship MVP (1) Dredon Kelly
Regional NPL NSW Premier League Player of the year (5) George Blues - 1970 Terry Butler - 1978 Franco Parisi - 2015 Sean Symons - 2017 Tasuku Sekiya - 2018 NPL NSW Premier League Coach of the Year (3) Franco Parisi - 2025 Franco Parisi - 2023 Danial Cummins - 2017 Robbie Slater Award (2) Michael Kouta - 2025 Sean Symons - 2019 NPL NSW Premier Leagues Golden Boot (9) Jordan Murray (23) - 2018 Blake Powell (21) - 2015 Robert Younis (21) - 2008 Paul Ollerton (17) - 1975 Paul Ollerton (18) - 1974 John Giacometti (22) - 1967 John Giacometti (20) - 1966 John Giacometti (21) - 1965 John Watkiss (24) - 1964 NPL NSW Goalkeeper of the Year (2) Matthew Nash - 2008 Ivan Necevski - 2023 Anthony Bouzanis - 2024 NPL NSW Goal of the Year (2) Adrian Ucchino - 2025 Blake Powell - 2015
Notes
References
External links
Oz Football Profile NPL NSW Fixtures & Results