Central Coast Mariners A-League Fixtures: Key Dates, Derby Nights, and What the Schedule Means for the Champs

Bassyonni

ago 4 hours

Central Coast Mariners

Central Coast Mariners enter the new Isuzu UTE A-League Men season with a road-heavy spring and a crowd-pleasing run of home fixtures through the Australian summer. For supporters plotting away days and family match-nights, here’s the clean look at the Mariners’ slate, the can’t-miss derbies, and how the calendar shapes their title defense.

Central Coast Mariners fixtures (near term, local time AEDT; subject to change)

Late October – November

Sydney FC vs Central Coast Mariners — Sat, Oct 25
Wellington Phoenix vs Central Coast Mariners — Sun, Nov 2
Perth Glory vs Central Coast Mariners — Fri, Nov 7
Western Sydney Wanderers vs Central Coast Mariners — Sat, Nov 22
Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne City — Sat, Nov 29

December – Early January

Central Coast Mariners vs Sydney FC — Sat, Dec 6
Central Coast Mariners vs Auckland FC — Fri, Dec 12
Wellington Phoenix vs Central Coast Mariners — Wed, Dec 31
Adelaide United vs Central Coast Mariners — Sun, Jan 4

January – February (high summer stretch)

Perth Glory vs Central Coast Mariners — Sat, Jan 10
Central Coast Mariners vs Macarthur FC — Sat, Jan 17
Auckland FC vs Central Coast Mariners — Fri, Jan 23
Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne Victory — Sun, Feb 1
Brisbane Roar vs Central Coast Mariners — Sat, Feb 7
Central Coast Mariners vs Western Sydney Wanderers — Sun, Feb 22
Macarthur FC vs Central Coast Mariners — Wed, Feb 25
Central Coast Mariners vs Newcastle Jets (F3 Derby) — Sat, Feb 28

Note: Fixtures and kick-off times can shift for broadcast and venue operations. Always recheck your matchweek close to game day.

Derby days and circled dates

F3 Derby (vs Newcastle Jets): The late-February home leg lands perfectly for a packed Industree Group Stadium. Expect a second derby later in the run-in; away allocations go quickly—book early.
Sydney showdowns: A December home meeting and the late-October away trip bookend an early test of depth against a perennial contender.
Big Blue crossover: Melbourne Victory’s visit in early February typically draws one of the season’s loudest atmospheres.

How the Mariners’ schedule sets the tone

1) Road first, rhythm later. A front-loaded travel block (Sydney, Wellington, Perth, Parramatta) compresses recovery and demands clean rotations. Banking points early keeps pressure off during the festive logjam.

2) Summer at home is opportunity. December to February brings a cluster of Gosford nights where the champions can convert crowd energy into streaks. Title defenses often hinge on protecting home turf—this is the window to do it.

3) Depth vs. distance. Cross-Tasman and trans-continental swings (Wellington and Perth inside a fortnight) force smart minutes for the back line and double-pivot. Expect measured squad use around midweeks.

What to watch tactically across the fixture run

Set-piece productivity. Tight away fixtures reward dead-ball sharpness; a handful of rehearsed routines can flip 1–1s into 2–1s.
Wide overloads at home. On a full Gosford pitch, the Mariners’ best versions stretch the back post and punish late box runners—especially against low blocks.
Game-state management. With travel fatigue in play, early strikes matter. Protecting leads with controlled possession will be a recurring theme on long trips.

Travel planning and ticket pointers

Gosford home days: Aim to arrive early—pre-match plaza activations and coastal traffic can add 20–30 minutes to your approach.
Interstate away ends: Perth and Wellington allocations are limited; join the supporters’ group mailing lists to catch on-sale windows.
Holiday fixtures: The New Year period is popular for families; expect brisk sales and adjusted public transport timetables.

Big-picture takeaway

The Mariners’ A-League fixtures stack tough miles up front and home comfort when summer hits—exactly the kind of calendar that tests champions and then hands them the platform to surge. Nail the early away points, turn Gosford into a fortress from December, and the title defense will have the legs to last deep into autumn.