Old Rivals, New Chapter: City and APIA Meet Again

Adelaide City and Wests APIA meet in the second round of the 2026 Australian Championship group stage. It is the latest chapter of a historic connection between the two sides that spans decades.

It all began in the decade after World War II, when Italian migrants sought to bring a connection to their homeland to their new homes.

As a result, Juventus was established in Adelaide in 1946, and Associazione Poli-sportiva Italo Australiana in Sydney in 1954, to give this new community a place to play football, socialise, and maintain their cultural connections.

Today, despite the countless ups and downs both clubs have endured, they remain institutions not only for their Italian communities but also for their respective football scenes in today’s multicultural Australian society.

After early success in their formative years, both Adelaide City and APIA Leichhardt (known as Wests APIA in the Australian Championship) were invited to join the National Soccer League, a competition that united the country’s most ambitious and successful clubs.

True to their DNA, both clubs found success on the newly forged national stage, helping shape the sport's history in the country.

Adelaide City’s success included three NSL Championship triumphs (1986, 1992, and 1994) and three NSL Cup wins (1979, 1989, and 1991–92).

The club’s consistency is highlighted by the unmatched feat of reaching the competition's finals series in 11 consecutive campaigns between the 1990 and 2001 seasons.

During their prime years on the national stage, APIA claimed an Australia Cup (1966), two NSL Cups (1982 and 1988), and an NSL Championship (1987).

A “bridge” between these two clubs and their golden periods is the great Rale Rasic.

After leading the Socceroos to their maiden World Cup, Rasic entered the fold of the NSL, passing through both Adelaide City and APIA and helping the clubs challenge for top honours.

Rasic wrote history in both Adelaide and Sydney.

He led Adelaide City to its first piece of national silverware, claiming the NSL Cup in 1979, before guiding APIA to its only NSL Championship in 1987, impressively securing the title before facing a single defeat.

Between APIA’s entry and exit from the NSL, the two clubs met 22 times, with the Marronazzuri edging the Black and White in the head-to-head record with nine wins, nine draws, and four losses.

One of the most famous encounters between the two sides took place in 1987.

Referee Dennis Voutsinas memorably ended the match early after a knock from the ball caused his stopwatch to malfunction.

The match was eventually restarted once the malfunction was resolved, and APIA’s Charlie Yankos was even sent off in the final minutes, making it a nervous finish for the eventual Champions, who held on to a slim lead on the day.

APIA exited the NSL in the early 90s as Adelaide City’s golden generation flourished.

The clubs met in the NSL for the last time in January 1992.

With APIA confined to their state competition and Adelaide City destined to follow a similar fate a decade later, a future meeting between the two clubs seemed unlikely.

Despite the lack of a clear pathway back to the national stage, the two clubs continued to excel at the state level and qualified for the 2017 NPL Finals Series.

The two teams resumed hostilities on the field for the first time in 25 years at Adelaide City Park, with APIA winning by a single goal.

Nine years later, the two ambitious clubs meet again on the national stage, ready to add another chapter to a storied rivalry.

Be there Friday night to celebrate a proud shared history and a promising future for two pioneering Australian football clubs.