Western United Assets Go to Auction Amid Club's Liquidation
Remnants of former A-League champions, including large screens and gym equipment, will be sold by auction house Manheim.
Four years after winning the A-League championship, Western United is liquidating its remaining assets, with a wide array of equipment set to be auctioned off by Manheim. The sale includes everything from large LG and Philips televisions and commercial kitchen appliances to gym equipment, office furniture, and shipping containers.
Bidding for the 96 lots is scheduled to begin on December 3 and conclude on December 9, with items listed for sale in Altona North, Melbourne. The auction offers a stark contrast to the club's 2019 entry into the league, which promised a privately owned stadium and a lasting presence in Melbourne's western suburbs.
The club reached the pinnacle of the men's competition in 2022 under coach John Aloisi, but its financial troubles mounted in the intervening years. These included a reported $15.5 million debt to the Australian Taxation Office and the failure of a proposed $100 million takeover by American group KAM Sports.
Western United sat out the 2025-26 A-League season, initially stating it was a period of hibernation, not a farewell. However, the anticipated comeback never materialized. The Australian Professional Leagues terminated the club's participation agreement in August, ending its involvement in both the men's and women's A-League competitions due to breaches of obligations, including Football Australia's National Club Licensing Regulations.
The club's collapse also impacted local football. Football Victoria announced on August 12 that Western United would be withdrawn from all its competitions after the Federal Court ordered its operating company, WMG Football Club Limited, to be wound up in insolvency. This decision left young players unable to register with other clubs for the remainder of their seasons, causing disappointment and uncertainty for them and their families. The withdrawal also led to Western United's results being removed from relevant senior and junior competitions, necessitating ladder recalculations and leaving byes in remaining fixtures.
