The 2015 FFA Cup will be the second season of the FFA Cup, the main national association footballknockout cup competition in Australia. 32 teams will again begin competition in the competition proper (from the Round of 32),[1] including all 10 A-League teams, the reigning National Premier Leagues Champion, and 21 Football Federation Australia (FFA) member federation teams determined through individual state-based preliminary rounds.[1] 2015 will be the first season in which teams from all nine FFA member federations participate, with the Northern Territory participating for the first time.[2]
Football Federation Australia has announced that most of the games from the Round of 32 onwards will be played on a Tuesday or Wednesday, with the final to be held on Saturday 7 November.[3]
The winner of the FFA Cup will receive $50,000 as part of a total prize money pool of $131,000.[4]
FFA member federations teams will compete in various state-based preliminary rounds to win one of 21 places in the competition proper (round of 32). All Australian clubs are eligible to enter the qualifying process through their respective FFA member federation, however only one team per club is permitted entry in the competition. All nine FFA member federations will take part in the tournament, with the Northern Territory participating for the first time.[5] Player registration numbers in each jurisdiction was used to determine the number of qualifying teams for each member federation:
NSW have five teams qualify.
Queensland have four teams qualify.
Victoria have four teams qualify.
Northern NSW have two teams qualify.
Western Australia have two teams qualify.
ACT have one team qualify.
Northern Territory have one team qualify.
South Australia have one team qualify.
Tasmania have one team qualify.
Unlike the previous season, this seasons preliminary rounds will operate within a consistent national structure whereby club entry into the competition will be staggered in each state/territory, ultimately leading to round 7 with the winning clubs from that round gaining direct entry into the round of 32. The first matches of the preliminary rounds began on 14 February 2015, and the final matches of the preliminary rounds will take place on 28 June 2015.
Teams
A total of 32 teams will participate in the 2015 FFA Cup competition proper, ten of which will come from the A-League, one the 2014 National Premier Leagues Champion (North Eastern MetroStars from South Australia),[1] and the remaining 21 teams from FFA member federations, as determined by the preliminary rounds.[6] A-League clubs represent the highest level in the Australian league system, whereas member federation clubs come from Level 2 and below. The current season tier of member federation clubs is shown in parentheses.
As with the previous season, teams will be allocated into one of three pots for the FFA Cup Round of 32 draw. Pot A will include the four A-League teams to reach the Semi-finals of the 2014–15 A-League finals series (Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC, Adelaide United and Melbourne City), Pot B will included the remaining six A-League teams, and Pot C will contain the 22 member federation teams which qualified through the preliminary rounds. Teams will be drawn randomly into pre-determined positions. For the Round of 16, Quarter-finals and Semi-finals, teams will be allocated in one of two pots. The remaining A-League teams will be allocated into Pot A and the remaining member federation teams into Pot B. In each draw, teams again will be drawn randomly into pre-determined positions.[7]
Australia
New Zealand
Belconnen United or Gungahlin United (2)
Balmain Tigers (4)
Brisbane Strikers (2)
TBD (2)
TBD (2)
South Hobart (2)
TBD
TBD (2)