What counts as team misconduct, and what is the penalty?

A club commits Team Misconduct when, in an A-Leagues match:

• five (5) of its participants are cautioned or sent off;
• three (3) of its participants are sent off;
• its participants collectively show dissent towards a match official, or collectively try to intimidate, threaten or pressure a match official to make or alter a decision; or
• its participants engage in a melee or brawl.

A player who gets a second yellow and an indirect red counts only as the red for this purpose.

Unless Football Australia decides otherwise, a club that reaches the five-cautioned-or-sent-off or three-sent-off thresholds in a season is fined: $500 for the 1st to 4th occasions, $1,000 for the 5th and 6th, $1,500 for the 7th, and a sanction set by Football Australia from the 8th. These fines are suspended until the end of the season and become payable only if the club is found guilty of a further breach of those two thresholds.

Source: A-Leagues Disciplinary Regulations 2026/27 Season, clauses 10 and 14.9 to 14.11.