A phase-field model for the simulation of solidification of a multicomponent and multiphase systems has been developed, which is based on an earlier developed multiphase field model for binary alloys and a phase-field multicomponent model for single-solid-phase systems. After incorporation with alloy thermodynamics and commercial software for the calculation of phase equilibria, the model has been implemented to study the microstructural evolution of an Al-11.5 mol% Si-0.9 mol% Cu-0.4 mol% Fe alloy. Numerical results for the morphological evolution of primary aluminium, silicon and A1FeSi intermetallic phases agree with experimental observations very well. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.