2024 Men’s Premier & Divisional competition structure

The VAFA has determined section structures for the 2024 season for the Men’s Premier competition and Men’s Divisional competition. 

A determination and recommendation from the VAFA Board, as well as the VAFA Football Sub-Committee to use its discretion to vary the promotion and relegation procedure enshrined in the VAFA Rules to ensure all Men’s Premier and Men’s Divisional competitions contain at least 10 teams in season 2024. 

10 is the optimal number across an 18-round home and away season to ensure each team plays each other twice and to ensure fixture equality. 

Season 2024 will see Division 3 Men’s and Division 4 Men’s combined. This avoids Division 2 Men’s having a situation with eight competing teams, Division 3 Men’s with seven and Division 4 Men’s with six. 

The reduction in the number of teams across the Men’s Divisional competitions has been caused by the decisions made by Ivanhoe AFC and Old Paradians during this season to depart the VAFA. 

The season structures will be as follows: 

Maintaining 10 teams per section remains in line with the VAFA’s Strategic Plan of producing a fixture that maximises regularity of matches played each season by avoiding additional and unnecessary byes. 

The VAFA is aware that variation of opponents and playing venues is important to a positive playing and club experience across the season. 

Fixturing for all competitions will commence in mid-November with the aim to complete as many fixtures as possible prior to the end of the year.