Australian National University Football Club (more commonly known as ANU FC) is an Australian amateur association football club representing the Australian National University based in Acton, Australian Capital Territory. Founded in 1962, the club is inclusive of both current and graduated students and currently competes in the ACT National Premier Leagues 2.

History

ANU FC was founded by the University in 1962 as ANU Men's Soccer Club. The club was established to provide footballing opportunities, of all levels, to current and former students and staff.

ANU Men's Soccer Club Division 1 team 1975

The Students first grade team has spent the majority of its existence in the ACT second division, becoming one of the most successful clubs at that level with six league premierships and championships to its name.

ANU won its first recorded title in 1974 when it claimed the ACT Division Two premiership by two points ahead of second placed Belconnen United.

In 2002, ANU Men's Soccer Club officially changed its ANU FC at the 2002 Annual General Meeting to reflect a rebranding of sport nationally at the time.

After claiming the 2005 State League One (division two) premiership, ANU FC was promoted to the ACT Premier League (division one) for 2006. The Students finished its first season in the top division of ACT football in seventh place in the league table, behind O’Connor Knights in sixth and ahead of White Eagles in eight.

ANU spent five seasons in the ACT Premier League between 2006 and 2010 with the club's best season coming in 2007 when the Students finished sixth in the league behind Tuggeranong in fifth and ahead of Canberra City in seventh. ANU finished last in the league in both 2008 and 2010 and in 2011 the club's first grade returned to State League One having never qualified for the Premier League finals in its five-year stint.

31 March 2012, ANU celebrated its golden anniversary by marking 50 years of existence with a community day at ANU Willows. Attended by Andrew Barr, Shane Rattenbury, Steve Doszpot, Heather Reid (CF CEO), Rachel Harrigan (CF President) and Mick Brady (SRA), the community day involved a BBQ, fresh coffee, activities and face painting for the kids and the main event, an exhibition match between ANU FC All-Star XI and ANU Ex-Presidents.

In 2013, Capital Football introduced a revamped second division of men's football in the ACT, coinciding with the introduction of the National Premier Leagues (NPL) as the overhauled top divisions nationwide. The revamped second division was named the Capital League. ANU FC was a founding member of the Capital League, which in 2013 consisted of two groups of six teams. The Students finished its maiden Capital League season as league runner-up behind White Eagles, qualifying for the finals series. ANU played O'Connor Knights in the quarter finals and lost the match 2-3, ending its season.

ANU FC has experienced a successful period since the inception of the Capital League in 2013. The Students have claimed three premierships (2014, 2016, 2017) and three straight championships (2015, 2016, 2017) in the first six years of the league revamp. This has included two league and championship doubles in 2016 and 2017.

L'ANU Football Club è una squadra di calcio australiana nata nel 1988, con sede presso l'Università Nazionale Australiana a Canberra, nel Territorio della Capitale Australiana. È la squadra di calcio universitaria più antica di Canberra, la squadra più presente nella NPL Canberra ed una delle due squadre canberrine ad aver vinto l'NPL NSW.

L'ANU ha vinto una serie di campionati: l'ACT Premier League per sei volte (1988, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1999 e 2011); nonché la Capital League Cup per due volte (1997 e 2000). Inoltre, si è aggiudicato la NPL NSW una volta (2019).

L'ANU è stata la prima squadra canberrina a qualificarsi per le finali della FFA Cup nel 2014, dove è arrivata ai quarti di finale, perdendo 5–1 contro il Melbourne Victory. Nel 2019, l'ANU è arrivata nuovamente alle finali della FFA Cup, dove è stata eliminata al quarto turno dal Brisbane Roar.

L'ANU ha una forte rivalità con il Canberra City, un'altra squadra canberrina. Le due squadre si sono affrontate in diverse importanti partite, come la finale dell'ACT Premier League nel 1997.

L'ANU è nota per il suo stile di gioco offensivo e per il suo impegno alla formazione dei giovani giocatori. La squadra ha prodotto numerosi giocatori che hanno avuto successo a livello nazionale e internazionale, come Robbie Cornthwaite, James Holland e Mathew Ryan.

Attualmente l'ANU compete nella National Premier Leagues Capital Football, la massima divisione calcistica del Territorio della Capitale Australiana.