Matchday One of the Round of 32 gets underway in the Hahn Australia Cup 2026 tonight as APIA Leichhardt host Peninsula Power and Rochedale Rovers host SD Raiders on their debut on the national stage.
As always, there are plenty of storylines and fantastic local football to be unearthed during one of Australia's premier football competitions.
Read our preview of the two games on Matchday One below.
APIA Leichhardt v Peninsula Power
Kick-off: 7.30pm AEST
Venue: Leichhardt Oval
Broadcast: Football Australia YouTube, 10.com.au
Tickets
It’s a Hahn Australia Cup State of Origin match to kick us off in the Round of 32, as APIA Leichhardt (NPL NSW) hosts Peninsula Power (NPL QLD).
APIA are perennial contenders in NPL NSW and currently sit second on the table, four points behind league leaders Marconi Stallions. Presley Ortiz has been on fire in the league with 12 goals so far this season and will hope to help his side advance in the cup.
At this stage last year, APIA caused a ‘Cupset’ with a 2-0 victory over Melbourne City. This is their seventh appearance in the Round of 32. They have reached the quarter-final stage twice, in 2018 and 2021.
Peninsula Power, meanwhile, currently sit on top of the NPL QLD table and will be hoping to replicate their run from 2022 where they reached the quarter-finals of the Cup. They have fallen at this stage of the competition on four previous occasions, including last year.
The club from Redcliffe will be hoping to put an exclamation point on their fantastic season so far with a deep Cup run.
Rochedale Rovers v SD Raiders
Kick-off: 7.30pm AEST
Venue: Underwood Park
Broadcast: Football Australia YouTube, 10.com.au
Tickets
It’s a Hahn Australia Cup national stage debut for Queensland’s Rochedale Rovers as they host NPL NSW side SD Raiders.
Despite struggling in the league this season the Rovers were almost perfect in qualification, only conceding one goal and defeating Caboolture Sports FC 3-0 in the quarter-final of the Kappa Cup to secure their place.
They will draw confidence from the way that they reached this stage and the support of their home crowd.
It is a second Round of 32 appearance for their opponents, SD Raiders, who were defeated by A-League Men’s side Macarthur FC on this stage twelve months ago. The Raiders are currently twelfth in the NPL. Their top goalscorer this season has been Martin Fernandez, who will hope to replicate his form from the beginning of the season on the national stage.
It will be a historic occasion for both clubs, regardless of result, and is set to showcase what both can achieve on this stage.
