The 2019-20 A-League campaign has been suspended since March due to the COVID-19 crisis, but Australia's premier football competition is set to restart on July 16 followed by a five-game finals series – the Grand Final to take place on August 23.
A derby between Melbourne Victory and Western United – originally scheduled for AAMI Park in Melbourne – will be played at a stadium still to be determined due to a spike in coronavirus cases in the state.
Six venues will be used in New South Wales and Queensland with the potential for more to be added subject to government regulations – ANZ Stadium (NSW), Bankwest Stadium (NSW), Central Coast Stadium (NSW), McDonald Jones Stadium (NSW), Jubilee Stadium (NSW) and Cbus Stadium (QLD).
"Over the past three months all stakeholders have been working hard together with one goal in mind – To finish what we started," FFA's Head of Leagues Greg O'Rourke said on Wednesday.
"We know the COVID-19 environment has been very difficult for many people in our community and we hope that delivering an extravaganza of matches will allow our fans to basically see a game everyday will be a unique experience for those who have stood by us.
"As we are a truly national game, the current border controls means that some of the match day venues may need to change, however we have secured venues in both a NSW Hub model and a hybrid hub model which has most games in NSW but allows for a few games in other states.
"Whilst we don't see the draw changing, the planning we have undertaken provides us with agility to shift between certain states if required. This version of the draw displays our current venue plan.
"We will continue to work with the Federal and State governments to ensure the health and safety of our players, coaches and other stakeholders and have detailed and practical protocols in place for all parties involved in training and match days.
"I am excited to see us kick off the restart and ultimately finish off what we started last October, with our priority always being to be in a position to crown our Hyundai A-League premiers and champions for this season."
Defending champions Sydney FC top the table by eight points through 20 matches, though second-placed Melbourne City have played three games less.
The future of the 2019-20 campaign has been in doubt since Australia and New Zealand introduced strict travel conditions amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Travellers to Australia and New Zealand must self-isolate for a 14-day period due to concerns over COVID-19, however, the A-League will continue for the remaining six regular-season rounds but without fans.
Victory travelled to Wellington to face the Phoenix on Sunday, which means round 24 and 25 fixtures involving the two teams will be rescheduled as they self-isolate.
The upcoming W-League Grand Final will also take place but behind closed doors.
"The scale of football means that we have a key role to play in maintaining the health and wellbeing of Australians, as well as their families and the wider community," said FFA CEO James Johnson, with Australia's football governing body to review the situation for the upcoming finals series.
"We are doing so by allowing people to play, in line with the current government position but with additional guidance to further improve social distancing at football fields around the country.
"We have been working closely with our stakeholders, government health officials and our own chief medical officer to develop our policies for the whole of the game following the COVID-19 outbreak. The situation is subject to constant change, and further measures may be necessary in the future.
"The decision to play the remainder of the Hyundai A-League 2019-20 season, and the Westfield W-League 2020 Grand Final behind closed doors was made in consultation with the clubs and in accordance with the latest federal government advice.
"The health and safety of all members of the football community, including players, coaches, referees, volunteers, administrators and fans continues to be of paramount importance. We will continue to work with the government and seek advice as the situation changes."
We confirm that grassroots football, including all levels of the @NPLAustralia and @FFACup Preliminary Rounds, may continue to be played at this time in line with Government advice.
— Football Federation Australia (@FFA) March 15, 2020
In the A-League, Sydney FC top the table by 10 points, ahead of Melbourne City, with the Phoenix third.
Five people have died from more than 299 coronavirus cases in Australia.
Globally, there have been over 169,000 cases with more than 6,400 casualties.
Victory were beaten 3-0 by Wellington Phoenix in the A-League on Sunday, although attention after the match was focused on the altered travel restrictions between Australia and New Zealand.
In a statement, Professional Footballers Australia noted Victory's players and staff would have to undergo a compulsory 14-day self-quarantine period when they return home – a vastly altered situation to when they left Melbourne on Friday.
"While we acknowledge that the response to coronavirus is constantly evolving, the government’s reactionary behaviour and ad-hoc decision-making on travel and sporting events has placed the players in a challenging personal position," PFA chief executive John Didulica said.
"These players will now have to isolate while their livelihoods will be impacted; they will no longer be available to play and train with their team for the next fortnight.
"More clarity and proactive planning – and less see-sawing – from the government could have prevented a situation whereby we have players departing the country under one condition, and then re-entering on another in the space of 48 hours."
Wellington find themselves in a similarly compromised situation, with a period in quarantine set to follow if they travel as planned for games against Sydney FC and Newcastle Jets this week – matches that now appear impossible to stage as scheduled.
"It's a little bit up in the air at the moment. We will travel on Tuesday to Australia and then we'll have to isolate ourselves for the next couple of weeks," Wellington boss Ufuk Talay told reporters.
"I don't know [who we will be playing]. We will be flying into Sydney and going from there. There's a possibility that we might stay there and play the remaining games in Australia and might have to continue to play the finals series in Australia as well.
"We'll prepare and get ourselves ready like we're going to be there forever and prepare like we're going to come back the next day."
Phoenix attacking midfielder Ulises Davila, who opened the scoring during Sunday's win, has decided against returning to his native Mexico to be with his wife and newborn son.
"At this stage Uli has decided not to go home and see the season out," Talay explained. "We're in discussions. It's very tough.
"We had a plan in place but we can't control what is happening around the world at the moment and we'll just have to adapt to what's in front of us.
"He wants to stay, he wants to see the season off and finish the best way possible. It was his decision solely.
"He's just worried that if he goes and he comes back in a few weeks' time and he has to go into quarantine again. He's very comfortable with his wife being in Mexico with the baby because she's got family over there and he's got family over there as well."
Football Federation Australia (FFA) officials are planning for the rest of the A-League campaign to go ahead behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Wellington must self-isolate for 14 days when they arrive due to travel measures put in place by the Australian government.
The club confirmed on Tuesday they would leave for Sydney after reaching "an agreement with Australian state-based health officials to be able to train within the self-isolation window".
"The decision to travel to Sydney in an attempt to complete this season was made as a club," Phoenix general manager David Dome said in a statement.
"We have discussed this amongst ourselves, consulted with health professionals and government bodies in Australia and New Zealand and taken all possible precautions to ensure those travelling are given the best protection possible.
"We are also conscious that the situation is constantly evolving and it may all change again tomorrow, but we are making this decision with the best information we have available at this time.
"As things have continued to evolve rapidly over the past few days, all options have been investigated and it became apparent that suspension of the Hyundai A-League was never an option."
All players and coaching staff have decided to travel to Australia on Wednesday, the club said.
Wellington are set to play the rest of their A-League games in Australia, beginning with a clash against Adelaide United on April 5.
The A-League club announced last month that a staff member had tested positive for COVID-19.
Wellington said on Wednesday the person had recovered and been cleared to return to their family.
"The Wellington Phoenix advises that a member of its staff who tested positive for COVID-19 last month has now fully recovered and been reunited with their family," a club statement read.
"The person was tested following their return to New Zealand as a precaution after showing minor symptoms. Following strict Ministry of Health advice, they immediately quarantined themselves from the public and their bubble."
New Zealand has reported more than 1,200 cases of coronavirus, including one death.
The A-League season was suspended last month with the Phoenix sitting third.
The positive test comes on the same day the Newcastle Jets confirmed one of their players had contracted COVID-19.
In a statement on Saturday, the A-League club said: "The Wellington Phoenix advise that a member of the club's football operations staff has tested positive for COVID-19.
"The club is cooperating fully with all the relevant health authorities and is focused on supporting staff, as well as ensuring that all government protocols are being closely adhered to.
"As per Ministry of Health instructions, all players and staff who had direct contact with the staff member are being monitored for possible signs of infection – any person showing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 will immediately be tested.
"The club will continue to monitor the situation closely and won't be making any further statement at this time."
The Phoenix had committed to staying in Australia in a bid to try to finish the A-League season, which was eventually suspended on Tuesday.
The Mariners finished third last season before failing to advance to the semi-finals in the post-season but have ended the first round of 2021-22 fixtures on top of the table.
Joshua Nisbet squeezed a low finish past Newcastle goalkeeper Jack Duncan shortly after half-time, and a second away goal soon followed through Jacob Farrell's thumping header.
Angus Thurgate's superb cross teed up substitute Valentino Yuel 12 minutes from time to set up a tense finish, but the Jets could not recover a first point of the season, slipping to a second consecutive home defeat in the F3 derby for the first time in A-League history.
The spoils were then shared between Macarthur and Wellington Phoenix in a 1-1 draw that extended the nominal away side's record unbeaten run to 12 matches.
Macarthur pipped their opponents to a Finals place by a single point last term, but they were forced to play in Newcastle due to the poor standard of their Campbelltown Stadium pitch and then trailed to Gary Hooper's penalty midway through the first half.
Lachlam Rose's 61st-minute finish beat Oliver Sail to get Macarthur back on terms, although there were grateful to Tomislav Uskok for a goal-line clearance in the closing stages.
