西部联队在周二被联邦法院宣布破产清算并任命清算人[1]。这家澳大利亚职业联赛（A-League）冠军俱乐部的执照在前一天遭澳大利亚职业联赛终止，原因是其违反了参赛协议[1]。俱乐部资产随即被接管人迅速清空，设备清收价值约20万美元[1]。
俱乐部债务危机严重。西部联队欠债7400万美元，而其执照原价约1800万美元，目前仅值约1000万美元[1]。约40名员工面临6个月或更长时间的未付工资困境，其中一名员工欠款约30000美元[1]。员工仅可通过联邦政府的公平权利保障计划追回最多13周的未付工资[1]。此外，俱乐部创始人兼主任Steve Horvat欠税务局近1100万澳元[1]。
俱乐部的学院球队被禁止继续参加本赛季剩余的维多利亚超级联赛比赛[1]。
Western United, an Australian A-League champion, has been ordered into liquidation by a federal court on Tuesday, marking a dramatic downfall that followed the league's cancellation of the club's license a day earlier [1]. The Professional Leagues Association terminated the franchise's participation agreement, triggering a swift unraveling that has left employees unpaid for months and wiped out the club's viability [1].
The financial catastrophe reflects deep structural problems. Western United carries a debt of AUD 74 million, while its license—originally valued at approximately AUD 18 million—now stands at roughly AUD 10 million [1]. Club assets were rapidly seized by liquidators, yielding only approximately AUD 200,000 in equipment [1]. Approximately 40 employees face wage arrears stretching back six months or longer, with individual losses reaching around AUD 30,000 per worker [1]. Under the federal government's Fair Entitlements Guarantee scheme, affected staff can recover a maximum of 13 weeks in unpaid wages [1]. The academy youth team has been barred from competing in the remainder of this season's Victoria Premier League fixtures [1]. Club founder and director Steve Horvat carries a personal tax liability of nearly AUD 11 million to the Australian Taxation Office [1].