Impact of Canberra United Academy axing on A-League Men's team revealed

The move sparked a fierce backlash and led to calls for the Capital Football board to stand down, while chief executive Ivan Slavich has threatened to resign if the decision is not reversed. The board will meet to discuss the boss' fate.

A number of senior figures, including former soccer boss Heather Reid, have raised their concerns over the impact the removal of the academy will have on the ACT's A-League Women's team and the city's aspirations for a men's side.

The APL, the body who runs the A-League competitions, announced in March that Canberra and Auckland are the preferred locations for expansion.

Officials initially had a soft deadline of June to gather financial backing worth $25 million to secure the licence.

The deadline was later pushed back to the end of September. It's now October and there is no word of whether investors have been locked in.

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An APL spokesperson confirmed the decision to axe the Canberra United Academy will have no impact on plans to introduce an A-League Men's side for the 2024-25 season.

The licence, however, will come with a number of requirements that must be met in order to enter the competition and one of those is a male academy.

As a result, the owners of the Canberra A-League Men's side will be required to establish a development pathway similar to the one the Capital Football board has voted to dismantle.

"All A-League Men's teams are required to set up an academy as per their mandatory club licensing requirements subject to the relevant approvals being granted by member federations and Football Australia," the spokesperson said.

"This would be the same if an A-League Men's team was to eventuate as part of Canberra United, or any other region, in the future."

The licensing requirements for men's and women's teams are different, with female academies considered best practice but not a requirement.

As a result, Capital Football will not face sanction from the APL for their decision to axe the Canberra United Academy.

Despite this, a number of clubs have academies in place and others are taking the first steps to establish a development pathway.

Capital Football's new model will see players attend additional training sessions through a Talented Sports Program while playing for their clubs. Canberra United Academy will no longer play in the local competitions.

While academies are considered best practice, the APL is confident the city's new development model will continue to produce elite players.

"We expect the implementation of the Talented Sports Program (TSP) will still provide an opportunity for players to reach the highest level and access to the pathway to the Canberra United senior team," the spokesperson said.

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