Welcome!

By registering with us, you'll be able to discuss, share and private message with other members of our community.

Sign Up Now!

2026 Hahn Australia Cup

HappyGuus said:
I had a crack at it. Wikipedia is ok for data but not entirely accurate, so take this with a pinch:

View attachment 5100

I'd say the last two seasons there's been an overall decline, except for SA setting a new high there last season.
Click to expand...
That's incredible work! Well done!

long term trends seem to show growth in nsw SA and vic mind you
 
grazorblade said:
That's incredible work! Well done!

long term trends seem to show growth in nsw SA and vic mind you
Click to expand...
Yeah they keep growing which is excellent.
Quite interesting to see, unlike the ALM, the Aus Cup bounced very strongly after COVID.
Queensland and NNSW numbers a little worry recently, with NNSW being in slow decline since 2017, I wonder why?
 
HappyGuus said:
Yeah they keep growing which is excellent.
Quite interesting to see, unlike the ALM, the Aus Cup bounced very strongly after COVID.
Queensland and NNSW numbers a little worry recently, with NNSW being in slow decline since 2017, I wonder why?
Click to expand...
not sure, but looks like all but SA/NSW/VIC have a poor long term trend
 
Guy Incognito said:
Some big updates.

- No NZ teams in the Cup anymore
- All A-League clubs automatically qualify
- South Melbourne qualified by virtue of winning the Aus Championship

football360.com.au

New Zealand teams axed from Australia Cup in major change for 2026 knockout competition

Football Australia have announced a significant change to their national knockout Cup competition.
football360.com.au football360.com.au
Click to expand...
HAHAHAHAHA this year just gets better and better... Round of 32 without lifting a finger...... As long as we can still defend our 10th Dockerty Cup Im happy...
 
https://football360.com.au/australia-cup-wellington-auckland-new-zealand-teams-omitted/

New Zealand teams axed from Australia Cup in major change for 2026 knockout competition​

Untitled-design-15-1590x894.webp
Wellington and Auckland will no longer be part of the Australia Cup.
PHOTO-2021-06-10-12-01-17-4-e1759753096678-160x160.jpg
David WeinerJanuary 27, 2026

Wellington Phoenix and Auckland FC have not been included in the 2026 Australia Cup.

In one of the most significant changes to the competition, which launched in 2014 as the FFA Cup, the national knockout cup competition will now only be open to Australian sides.

Football Australia has also scrapped the playoff between the bottom four A-League clubs in Darwin for two Round of 32 spots, with all 10 Australian A-League clubs now guaranteed entry for the competition that will continue to run roughly with the same timings as in 2025, starting during the A-League off-season, and culminating on the eve of the season.

There is also a direct qualification spot for South Melbourne, as winner of the 2025 Australian Championship.

251206__SMB_v_MAR_MARK_AVELLINO-143-1024x683.webp
South Melbourne celebrate the Australian Championship triumph. Photo: Mark Avellino / Football Australia
It is understood that the changes have come with a view of aligning with requirements from the Asian Football Confederation, and the winner of the competition will continue to qualify for the AFC Champions League Two competition, which Macarthur are currently competing in.


As a result of the changes, there are now 21 positions available across the state Member Federations for qualification from each state’s cup competition, allocated as follows: Football NSW, Football Victoria, Football Queensland (four each), Football South Australia, Football West, Norther NSW Football (two each), Capital Football, Football Tasmania, Football Northern Territory (one each).

It is not impossible that we will see Western United in the Round of 32 either – they will be entered via the Football Victoria (VPL1) pathway, starting with the Preliminary Rounds for the 2026 season.

The changes also coincide with the introduction of the OFC Pro League in 2026.

While this allows Auckland FC a pathway through to FIFA’s inter continental competitions, it is a blow for Wellington, who were not included in that competition either, with South Island United FC chosen as the second New Zealand based side.

Ironically, South Melbourne are also in the OFC Pro League, but are not eligible to progress to continental competitions through Oceania.

The Australia Cup, which started as the FFA Cup in 2014 as a way to bridge the gap between the A-League, grassroots and Australia’s historic clubs, has run every year except for 2020, when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adelaide United are the most successful club, with three trophies, while Newcastle Jets are the reigning champions. Other clubs to have won the trophy include Sydney FC (two), Melbourne Victory (two), Macarthur (two) and Melbourne City.

Milligan-Aus-Cup-scaled-e1761518559413-1024x576.jpeg
Mark Milligan steered Newcastle to the Australia Cup trophy. Photo: Football Australia
In recent years, the gap has been bridged with Sydney United breaking through to make the 2022 decider, while Heidelberg United went on a fairy tale run in 2025.

Until 2021, the National Premier Leagues champions earnt a direct spot and with the introduction of the Australian Championship, which kicked off in October 2025, there is another direct link provided by the Australia Cup between the different tiers in Australian football, and the grassroots.

Both Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix have been contacted for comment.


AUS-CUP-R32-819x1024.webp
 
Wonder what the Dockerty Cup format ends up as, hopefully not back to the playoff fixture with the five team arrangement but I can't see any other real alternative
 
oranges said:
Wonder what the Dockerty Cup format ends up as, hopefully not back to the playoff fixture with the five team arrangement but I can't see any other real alternative
Click to expand...
No need for 5 team arrangement. South Melb still needs to qualify for the semis.
 
Spartan Warrior said:
No need for 5 team arrangement. South Melb still needs to qualify for the semis.
Click to expand...
Presumably correct - as they should. However, the quarterfinals serves as qualifiers for the Australia Cup, do the losers play off for the final spot provided South win? Does a club feel hard done-by if they're knocked out of the Australia Cup by a club that doesn't actually enter for another couple rounds?

Basically if South qualify for the Dockerty Cup semi's, who gets the 4th qualification spot; and is it fair South can knock clubs out of the Australia Cup qualifiers?
 
oranges said:
Presumably correct - as they should. However, the quarterfinals serves as qualifiers for the Australia Cup, do the losers play off for the final spot provided South win? Does a club feel hard done-by if they're knocked out of the Australia Cup by a club that doesn't actually enter for another couple rounds?

Basically if South qualify for the Dockerty Cup semi's, who gets the 4th qualification spot; and is it fair South can knock clubs out of the Australia Cup qualifiers?
Click to expand...

You're correct @oranges

If South (who has already qualified) makes the semi finals, that would mean that there would need to be additional playoffs for the 4th qualifying spot.
 
NoMates said:
This is Bullshit, Wellington should be in the Aus Cup just on merit same with Auckland. Selfish!!!
Click to expand...
why is it bullshit ?

Isn't there a NZ/Pac Islands cup to play instead for thats their zone/region as per WC qualifying.
 
LFC said:
why is it bullshit ?

Isn't there a NZ/Pac Islands cup to play instead for thats their zone/region as per WC qualifying.
Click to expand...
No there is only the OFC pro league which Nix don't have a place in only Auckland. And the NZ Cup is only for semi pro clubs.
 
NoMates said:
No there is only the OFC pro league which Nix don't have a place in only Auckland. And the NZ Cup is only for semi pro clubs.
Click to expand...
well them's the breaks and technicalities as stated below :
The changes also coincide with the introduction of the OFC Pro League in 2026.

While this allows Auckland FC a pathway through to FIFA’s inter continental competitions, it is a blow for Wellington, who were not included in that competition either, with South Island United FC chosen as the second New Zealand based side.
 
Ok - so as I've now updated the database for 2026 leagues (so far), which covers all the QLD comps, and Victoria right down quite a bit, I can now update the "why are these clubs not entering?" list (clubs that entered in 2025, but not in 2026):

QUEENSLAND
  • QPL 4 - South Coast
    • Southport Warriors
  • QPL 5 - Metro
    • FC Old Bridge Salisbury
  • QPL 6 - Metro
    • Park Ridge Panthers
  • Far North - Division 1
    • Atherton Eagles - I think we can give this one a pass, as this is the level below QPL Regional, and all the QPLR Far North clubs have entered
  • League unknown
    • Legends FC - Competed in QPL4 South Coast in 2025, but have handed back their QPL licence back to FQ. Says they will still compete in lower competitions, but no record of them yet.
VICTORIA
  • ALL CLUBS IN STATE LEAGUE PYRAMID 4-7 HAVE ENTERED - PAT ON THE BACK
    • State Leagues 1, 2, 3, and VPL 1 and 2, and NPL to enter draw at later rounds
  • All other non-entrants listed below by their 2025 league, as 2026 league not fully available yet.
    • Albury Wodonga Division 1
      • Myrtleford Savoy
    • Ballarat Division 1
      • Maryborough
    • Bendigo / Central Victorian League Division 1
      • Epsom
    • Geelong Division 1
      • Colac Otway Rovers
    • 2025 State League 5 - these clubs are not part of the State League pyramid any more, thus 2026 league information is currently unknown.
      • Tarneit United
      • Barton United
NEW ZEALAND
  • A-League
    • Auckland FC
    • Wellington Phoenix
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top