Ninja A-League preview: Canberra United aim high following new owner takeover

Ninja A-League preview: Canberra United aim high following new owner takeover In this instalment of our 2026/27 Ninja A-League season preview, we’re off to the capital for a look at Canberra United and their preparations. Manager: Antoni Jagarinec  Last season: 3rd Finals: Elimination Final A new beginning for Canberra United The two-time champions were given a huge boost in the off-season in the form of new long-term owners. Australian Sports Group have taken over from Capital Football. A third-placed finish last season represented the club’s best regular season performance since winning the Premiers Plate in 2016/17. It perhaps comes as little surprise then, that boss Antoni Jagarinec has kept a largely settled squad for the upcoming season. Among the departures, Kiara de Domizio and Young Matilda Tegan Bertolissio have departed, joining Central Coast Mariners and Western Sydney Wanderers respectively. Another Canberra young gun in Mary Stanić-Floody has left to join Motherwell in Scotland, following three seasons in Australia’s capital. Strong off-season recruitment Embed from Getty Images The incomings are laden with A-League experience. The Adelaide trio of Emily Condon, Zoe Tolland and Sarah Morgan were key to the Reds’ recent success. All three are sure to add strength in depth to the Canberra squad. Madison Ayson returns after a year at Sydney FC. The Philippines international defender is joined by her Sky Blues teammate, young winger Caley Tallon-Henniker. Michelle Heyman is inevitable Another international, Football Fern Kelli Brown will be hoping to take some of the goalscoring responsibilities off of the shoulders of the immortal Michelle Heyman. The reliance on Heyman for goals could be a potential issue. Having finished as the club’s top scorer in each of the past six seasons, Jagarinec will need to hope his star player remains fit and firing. With the off-field issues now hopefully a thing of the past and with a settled squad, there’s no reason why Canberra shouldn’t be in the hunt for silverware come the end of the season. Related articles from Her Football Hub: Ninja A-League preview: Melbourne Victory hoping for more competitive silverware push Ninja A-League preview: Premiers and Champions Melbourne City eyeing another successful season Ninja A-League preview: Central Coast Mariners’ Finals hopes hinge on new attacking era