Ballarat City FC will open the inaugural National Premier Leagues 3 season with a Sunday home game on March 21.
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Led by new head coach Adam Grinholz, the Navy Blues will face Nunawading City at Morshead Park.
NPL3 was to have been launched last year, but did not get off the ground owing to the COVID-19 community sport shutdown.
The competition has been increased by one side, with Western United expanding its program to join what now has 12 teams.
The season will comprise 22 rounds.
Ballarat will have the bulk of its home games in the first half of the season - seven in the opening 10 rounds.
City FC gets a bonus game at Morshead Park with its second clash with Western United at the venue officially an away game.
Other than round one, all Ballarat's home games will played on Saturdays in the 3pm timeslot.
Ballarat City FC was placed in NPL3 after finishing 10th and last in NPL2 in 2019, when it managed only three wins and finished nine points adrift of its nearest rival.
It used 34 players in that season, with 12 making appearances in 20 or more games.
SEASON FIXTURE
Sunday, March 21: Nunawading City (h)
Saturday, March 27: North Sunshine (a)
Saturday, April 10: Doveton (h)
Saturday, April 17: Box Hill United (h)
Saturday, April 24: Western United (h)
Saturday, May 1: Whittlesea Ranges (a)
Saturday, May 8: Geelong (h)
Saturday, May 15: Melbourne Victory (h)
Sunday, May 23: Melbourne City (a)
Saturday, May 29: Springvale (h)
Sunday, June 6: Preston Lions (a)
Saturday, June 19: Nunawading City (a)
Saturday, June 26: North Sunshine (h)
Saturday, July 3: Doveton (a)
Saturday, July 10: Box Hill United (a)
Saturday, July 17: Western United (h)
Saturday, July 24: Whittlesea Ranges (h)
Saturday, July 31: Geelong (a)
Sunday, August 8: Melbourne Victory (a)
Saturday, August 21: Melbourne City (h)
Saturday, August 28: Springvale (a)
Saturday, September 4: Preston Lions (h)
Ballarat is also fielding NPL3 under-21 and under-19 sides, which will open their seasons on the same day against Nunawading at Morshead Park.
