The Victoria Premier League 1^[1] (formerly National Premier Leagues Victoria 2, 2014-2024), commonly referred to as VPL 1, is a semi-professional soccer league in Victoria, Australia. The league is the second-highest in the Victorian league system, behind the National Premier Leagues Victoria, and forms the third tier of the overall Australian league system.

Quick Facts Organising body, Founded ...

Victoria Premier League 1

Organising body	Football Victoria
Founded	2014 as National Premier Leagues Victoria 2
Country	Australia
State	Victoria
Number of teams	14
Level on pyramid	3
Promotion to	NPL Victoria
Relegation to	Victoria Premier League 2
Domestic cup(s)	Australia Cup Dockerty Cup
Current champions	Dandenong City
Most championships	Dandenong City (2 titles)

Close

Originally founded as NPL 1 in 2014, it has undergone several changes in competition structure since its inception. Comprising 14 teams in its first season, the league then featured 20 teams divided into two geographic East and West conferences from 2015–19. With the creation of NPL Victoria 3 in 2020, a state-wide second division was re-founded, comprising 12 clubs. Beginning from the 2024 season, NPL Victoria 2 and NPL Victoria 3 have reverted to Victoria Premier League, the name prior to the formation of the National Premier Leagues.^[1]

In the 2024 season, Football Victoria has included a provision where relegation of the bottom two teams is suspended for that season, under the condition that a National Second Division commences in 2025.^[2] Under this provision, the bottom placed team may be relegated in the 2025 season.

The competition is administered by Football Victoria, the governing body of the sport in the state.

In 2014, the competition was a 14 team league.

For the 2015–2019 seasons, the league was divided into East and West conferences of 10 teams each. Each team played home and away against teams in their conference and single games against each team in the opposite conference. The winner of each conference was promoted to the NPL Victoria, while second place in each conference entered into a promotion/relegation series.

In 2020, the competition reverted to a 12 team league.^[3]

For 2023 seasons, the competition returns to a 14 team league.

The following clubs will take part in the 2024 VPL 1 season:

Bulleen

Langwarrin

Preston

Melbourne City

Northcote

Eastern Lions

Brunswick

Werribee

Kingston

Western United

Bentleigh

North Geelong

George Cross

Melbourne Victory

Locations of 2024 NPL 2 Victoria clubs within metropolitan Melbourne.

Avondale FC were the inaugural champions of the National Premier Leagues Victoria 1 division in 2014, while North Geelong finished the season as runners up with both sides earning promotion to the National Premier Leagues Victoria.

On 6 November 2014, Football Federation Victoria announced Melbourne City FC NPL and Melbourne Victory FC Youth would join the league in 2015. Eastern Lions SC, Murray United FC, Nunawading City FC and Moreland City FC all also joined the expanded competition for the 2015 season. FC Bulleen Lions and Richmond SC were the two clubs to achieve automatic promotion in the revamped league in 2015 by winning their respective conferences. Melbourne Victory joined them by beating NPL2 West runner up Moreland Zebras FC in the NPL2 preliminary promotion playoff, and then North Geelong in the promotion playoff, with North Geelong joining automatically relegated sides Werribee City FC and Dandenong Thunder SC in NPL2 for 2016.

In 2016, St Albans Saints SC and Kingston City FC won automatic promotion by winning their respective West and East conferences, while North Geelong immediately bounced back into the top-flight, beating Dandenong Thunder in the NPL2 playoff and Richmond in the NPL promotion-relegation playoff. Richmond, Melbourne Victory and Northcote City FC were the relegated sides from NPL, joining the NPL2 for 2017.