In a pivotal A-League Men matchup that could shape the playoff race, Sydney FC vs Auckland FC headlines Round 10 on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, as the Sky Blues host the Blues at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.
Sydney FC is currently in 4th place with 25 points from 16 games, achieving 7 wins, 4 draws, and 5 losses. They are looking to end a poor run of form, having lost three of their last five matches. In their previous encounter, they drew 1-1 with Auckland, despite dominating possession but failing to convert their opportunities.
Auckland FC is in 2nd place with 28 points, which includes 8 wins, 4 draws, and 4 losses. They aim to improve on their mixed form, winning only two of their last five games, while continuing to maintain a strong defensive record, having conceded just 16 goals—joint-best in the league.
With Sydney yet to defeat Auckland in four encounters and considering the visitors’ strong away performance (4 wins in 8 road games), this Sydney FC vs Auckland FC match is set to offer tactical depth and potential drama in Sydney.
Sydney FC vs Auckland FC – Date, Time, Predictions, and More
| Match | Sydney FC vs Auckland FC |
|---|---|
| Competition | Isuzu UTE A-League Men |
| Date | Tuesday, February 17, 2026 |
| Kick-off | 08:00 UTC (7:00 PM AEDT / 3:00 AM ET / 12:00 AM PT) |
| Venue | Allianz Stadium, Sydney |
This Sydney FC vs Auckland FC preview covers team news, lineups, and stats for your Australian football insights.
Team News and Analysis
Brighton & Hove Albion’s winless streak—six games—highlights attacking woes (xG underperformance), but the Leicester draw masked resilience.
Fitness & availability: New signings Apostolos Stamatelopoulos and Ahmet Arslan have been named in recent extended squads and are in contention to feature. Al Hassan Toure is back in contention after a calf issue. Marcel Tisserand has a foot knock and is listed as doubtful — the coach will assess before selecting. No confirmed long-term absences reported.
Crystal Palace’s mid-table battle—winless in five—intensifies pressure on Glasner, with the Brentford loss exposing creativity issues.
Form & selection: Sam Cosgrove is leading the line and has been productive; veteran Hiroki Sakai and Michael Woud remain central to Auckland’s set-piece and defensive organisation.
Auckland have depth in defence (Francis de Vries, Nando Pijnaker) and is likely to pick a similar core that beat Sydney earlier this month. Club squad listings show Jimmy Hilton on the books as goalkeeping cover.
| Team | Position | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland FC | 2nd | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 28 |
| Sydney FC | 4th | 15 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 25 |
Head-to-Head Record
Auckland edged Sydney 1–0 in the most recent meeting, a result that propelled the visitors briefly to the top of the A-League table.
That narrow victory was decided by Sam Cosgrove’s finish after a long-throw sequence and exposed Sydney’s difficulty defending aerial and set-piece situations.
All-time H2H
Auckland FC has dominated the recent encounters between the two clubs during the 2025–26 season and pre-season:
- Feb 7, 2026 (A-League): Auckland FC 1 – 0 Sydney FC.
- Aug 23, 2025 (Australia Cup): Auckland FC 1 – 1 Sydney FC (Auckland won 3-1 on penalties).
- Apr 12, 2025 (A-League): Sydney FC 2 – 2 Auckland FC.
- Oct 26, 2024 (A-League): Auckland FC 1 – 0 Sydney FC.
Allianz Stadium: Sydney 0-0-1 vs. Auckland (draw in penalties).
Sydney FC vs Auckland FC Predicted XI Lineups
| Position | Sydney FC (4-2-3-1) | Auckland FC (4-2-3-1) |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Harrison Devenish-Meares | Michael Woud |
| Defenders | R. Grant, Tisserand, A. Grant, Garuccio | Sakai, Hall, Girdwood-Reich, De Vries |
| Midfielders | Ahmet Arslan, Paul Okon-Jnr | Louis Verstraete, Felipe Gallegos |
| Attackers | Joe Lolley, Tiago Quintal, Piero Quispe | Marlee Francois, Lachlan Brook, Jesse Randall |
| Forward | Apostolos Stamatelopoulos | Sam Cosgrove |
Talay/Corica briefings: Sydney Lolley central; Auckland Cosgrove up top. Subs: Hollman (Sydney), Champness (Auckland).
Key Players
- Sydney FC:
- Al Hassan Toure returns to the squad after recovering from a calf injury.
- Tiago Quintal is fit to start despite a hamstring cramp in his previous outing.
- Unavailable: Gus Hoefsloot (wrist) and Abel Walatee (groin) remain sidelined.
- Auckland FC:
- Lachlan Brook is expected to start after being cleared following an early substitution on February 7.
- Unavailable: Goalkeeper Oli Sail is the only major absentee as he recovers from knee surgery.
Match Prediction
Both teams have strengths that cancel each other out: Sydney’s attacking depth versus Auckland’s solidity and aerial threat. Expect a tight match with set-pieces and crosses decisive.
A realistic outcome is a draw or a narrow away win given Auckland’s recent success against Sydney.
- Predicted Score: Sydney FC 1–1 Auckland FC (alternate realistic outcome: Auckland 2–1 Sydney).
Where to Watch (USA, Canada, Australia, and Europe)
Stream Sydney FC vs Auckland FC live with these A-League Men options:
- USA: Paramount+; FuboTV Starts 3:00 AM ET.
- Canada: DAZN Canada 3:00 AM ET.
- ESPN+: In the United States, ESPN+ typically holds the streaming rights for Isuzu UTE A-League matches.
- Australia: Paramount+ Begins 7:00 PM AEDT.
- Paramount+: The primary home for every A-League match live and on-demand.
- New Zealand: Sky Sport / Sky Sport Now streams most matches; home fans normally follow Auckland coverage on Sky.
- Europe: DAZN; beIN Sports (Spain/France).
- United Kingdom & Ireland: The match is scheduled to be broadcast on TNT Sports 3 (and via discovery+) at 8:00 AM GMT.