With the Australia Cup 2024 Preliminary Rounds edging towards the business end, we examine the state of play across every member federation.
Capital Football
The race for Capital Football’s singular Australia Cup qualifying spot is continuing to build, with just four clubs left in the Preliminary Rounds.
Tuggeranong United FC and Monaro Panthers will face off on Wednesday the 22nd of May to decide one bracket of the final fixture, with O’Connor Knights SC coming up against Gungahlin United FC, who are fresh off a strong 7-0 victory against Majura FC in Preliminary Round Five.
Northern Territory
Football Northern Territory’s deciding fixture will take place on the 28th of May, as Darwin Olympic Sporting Club and Darwin Hearts Football Club face off for a spot in the Australia Cup Round of 32.
Darwin Olympic Sporting Club beat Casuarina Football Club 1-0 in a tense match to reach the final, after receiving a bye in Round Five following a 7-1 demolition of Port Darwin Football Club in their opening Australia Cup Preliminary Round fixture.
Darwin Hearts advanced thanks to a 4-2 victory over Verdi Football Club, after opening their Preliminary round campaign with a 3-0 victory over Azzurri United FC before beating Hellenic Athletic Club 2-0 in Round Five.
The two Darwin sides will go head to head in a thoroughly exciting clash to decide Northern Territory’s Australia Cup Round of 32 representatives for 2024.
New South Wales
Just two rounds stand between the majority of Football NSW’s remaining clubs and a round of 32 position in the Australia Cup, with four spots up for grabs for teams situated in New South Wales.
Blacktown City FC and Inter Lions FC have secured a spot in round seven, after winning 4-0 and 5-3 respectively last night, with the rest of the fixtures still to play.
There are currently 8 NPL Men’s NSW teams still left in the tournament, who could take a clean sweep from the Preliminary Rounds into the Australia Cup, but they will be pushed by the likes of Inter Lions FC, Cringila Lions FC, Phoenix FC, Coogee United, Wollongong United and the Blacktown Spartans, who are beginning to feel the potential of making a historic appearance in the round of 32.
The fixtures for the upcoming round are listed below:
Queensland
The Kappa Queensland Cup/Australia Cup Preliminary qualifiers are moving quickly in the sunshine state as they seek to determine their four representatives in the Round of 32.
The SEQ qualifiers have entered round six, with 14 clubs playing across seven games, whilst the Regional qualifiers will follow suit soon after, with one match left in round five.
Following round six, there will be just eight clubs left in the competition, meaning that they will each go head-to-head with their opponent for a spot in the Australia Cup Round of 32.
South Australia
Two teams have made the final stage of Football South Australia’s Preliminary Rounds, with Modury Jets and Campbelltown City advancing after victories by the scores of 4-0 and 2-1 respectively.
Over the next two days, Adelaide Comets and FK Beograd will battle it out, as well as Northern Demons and Adelaide Olympic, to decide the other couple of teams to make it to the final round of qualifying.
The Northern Demons are the only State League side left in the South Australia Preliminary Rounds, and are just two games off becoming one of the two Football SA sides to qualify for the Australia Cup Round of 32.
Tasmania
Similarly to the majority of other federations, Tasmania is two games out from deciding who their Australia Cup 2024 representative will be.
Riverside Olympic - who have picked up just one win from their opening seven matches in the National Premier League - will take on Kingborough Lions United who are in third, whilst Devonport City Strikers will come up against the Glenorchy Knights in what is a current league fourth against second clash.
The winner of these two clashes will face off in one final match, to determine the club that will feature in the Australia Cup Round of 32.
Western Australia
Western Australia’s Australia Cup Preliminary Round Five has just come to a close, with all results here:
Sorrento FC, Perth RedStar FC, Olympic Kingsway SC, Ashfield SC, Stirling Macedonia FC, Perth SC, Western Knights SC and Rockingham City FC are the sides who will make up the Western Australia Preliminary Round Six, with fixtures to be decided in the coming days.
Northern New South Wales
Northern New South Wales have recently conducted their Preliminary Round Six and Seven draw.
Broadmeadow Magic will take on Alstonville FC, while Inverell will come up against Edgeworth Eagles in the first two Round Six fixtures.
The winner of Adamstown Rosebud FC vs Lambton Jaffas will then host Newcastle Croatia, with Newcastle Olympic playing Charlestown Azzurri.
From there, the Preliminary Round Seven will commence, with the two Northern NSW Australia Cup Round of 32 entrants then being decided.
Victoria
Football Victoria is currently in the penultimate round of its search for its five Australia Cup 2024 Round of 32, with 20 teams vying for the spots.
All of their fixtures are listed here:
