2021 FFA Cup

2021 FFA Cup

Tournament details
Country	Australia New Zealand
Dates	12 February 2021 – 5 February 2022
Teams	765 (qualifying competition) 32 (main competition)
Final positions
Champions	Melbourne Victory (2nd title)
Runner-up	Central Coast Mariners
Champions League	Melbourne Victory
Tournament statistics
Matches played	30
Goals scored	87 (2.9 per match)
Attendance	71,343 (2,378 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)	Cyrus Dehmie (3 goals)
← 2019 ← 2020 2022 →

The 2021 FFA Cup was the eighth season of the FFA Cup, the main national soccer knockout cup competition in Australia. Thirty-two teams contested the competition proper from the round of 32, including 10 of the 12 A-League teams (with two teams not qualifying), 21 Football Australia (FA) member federation teams determined through individual state qualifying rounds, as well as the 2019 National Premier Leagues champions (Wollongong Wolves from New South Wales).^[1]

This year's competition was the final season the competition is referred to as the "FFA Cup".^[2] Following the rebranding of Football Australia from the Football Federation Australia (FFA), it was changed to "Australia Cup".^[3]

This edition also marked the first season that the winner would qualify for the AFC Champions League in the following year.^[4] However, certain teams were excluded, such as Wellington Phoenix,^[a] three other A-league teams^[b] or any teams from the National Premier Leagues.^[c]

The competition format and timing was impacted by the on-going COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.^[7][8]

Round[9]	Draw date	Match dates	Number of fixtures	Teams	New entries this round
Preliminary rounds	Various	12 February – 24 November 2021	733 + 60 byes	765 → 32	756
Round of 32	8 July 2021	14 September – 7 December 2021	16	32 → 16	9
Round of 16	North & West: 30 September 2021 South & East: 15 November 2021	17 October – 30 December 2021 1–14 December 2021	8	16 → 8	None
Quarter-finals	5 December 2021	21 December 2021 – 12 January 2022	4	8 → 4	None
Semi-finals	6 January 2022	18–29 January 2022	2	4 → 2	None
Final	27 January 2022	5 February 2022	1	2 → 1	None

A total of 32 teams are scheduled to participate in the 2021 FFA Cup competition proper, ten of which are from the A-League Men, one the 2019 National Premier Leagues champions (Wollongong Wolves), and the remaining 21 teams from member federations, as determined by the qualifying rounds.

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. For the first time, the round of 32 and round of 16 were split into four geographical zones (East, South, North and West) which were determined by Football Australia.^[10][11]

A-League clubs
East Zone	North Zone	South Zone	West Zone
Central Coast Mariners	Brisbane Roar	Melbourne City	Adelaide United
Macarthur FC		Wellington Phoenix	Melbourne Victory
Sydney FC		Western United
Western Sydney Wanderers
Member federation clubs
APIA Leichhardt (2)	Casuarina FC (2)	Avondale FC (2)	Adelaide City (2)
Blacktown City (2)	Edge Hill United (5)	Devonport City (2)	Adelaide Olympic (2)
Broadmeadow Magic (2)	Gold Coast Knights (2)	Hume City (2)	ECU Joondalup (2)
Mt Druitt Town Rangers (2)	Lions FC (2)	Port Melbourne (2)	Floreat Athena (2)
Newcastle Olympic (2)	Peninsula Power (2)	South Melbourne (2)
Sydney Olympic (2)
Tigers FC (2)
Wollongong Wolves (2)

Member federations teams competed in various state-based preliminary rounds to win one of 21 places in the competition proper (round of 32). All Australian clubs were eligible to enter the qualifying process through their respective member federation, however only one team per club was permitted entry in the competition. The preliminary rounds operated within a consistent national structure whereby club entry into the competition is 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. There were changes to the make-up of the entrants compared to the 2019 edition, with South Australia increasing from 1 to 2 qualifying places, with NSW losing one place.^[12] Additionally, the top eight placed A-League clubs for the 2020–21 A-League season gained automatic qualification to the round of 32. The remaining four teams were subject to a play-off series for the remaining two positions.^[1]

The first matches of the preliminary rounds began in February 2021, with the final matches of the preliminary rounds (two A-League play-offs) completed in November.

Federation	Associated Competition	Round of 32 Qualifiers
Football Australia	A-League	10
	National Premier Leagues	1
Capital Football (ACT)	Federation Cup (ACT)	1
Football NSW	Waratah Cup[d]	4
Northern NSW Football	—	2
Football Northern Territory	NT FFA Cup Final	1
Football Queensland	—	4
Football South Australia	Federation Cup (SA)	2
Football Tasmania	Milan Lakoseljac Cup	1
Football Victoria	Dockerty Cup	4
Football West (WA)	State Cup	2

	Round of 32				Round of 16				Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	ECU Joondalup	0
	Adelaide Olympic	3			Adelaide Olympic	0
	Floreat Athena	1			Adelaide United	1
	Adelaide United (a.e.t.)	3							Adelaide United	1
	Edge Hill United	0							Melbourne Victory	2
	Gold Coast Knights	2			Gold Coast Knights	1
	Adelaide City	0			Melbourne Victory (a.e.t.)	2
	Melbourne Victory	1											Melbourne Victory	4
	Hume City	3											Wellington Phoenix	1
	Port Melbourne	1			Hume City	0
	South Melbourne	0			Melbourne City	1
	Melbourne City	3							Melbourne City	0 (3)
	Avondale FC (w/o)								Wellington Phoenix (p)	0 (4)
	Devonport City				Avondale FC	1
	Western United	0			Wellington Phoenix	4
	Wellington Phoenix	1															Melbourne Victory	2
	Sydney Olympic	2															Central Coast Mariners	1
	Sydney FC	4			Sydney FC (a.e.t.)	2
	Newcastle Olympic	0			Macarthur FC	0
	Macarthur FC	3							Sydney FC	1
	Lions FC	6							Brisbane Roar	0
	Casuarina FC	0			Lions FC	0
	Peninsula Power	0			Brisbane Roar	4
	Brisbane Roar	3											Sydney FC	0
	Tigers FC	0											Central Coast Mariners	1
	APIA Leichhardt (a.e.t.)	3			APIA Leichhardt	2
	Broadmeadow Magic	0			Western Sydney Wanderers	1
	Western Sydney Wanderers	3							APIA Leichhardt	0
	Mt Druitt Town Rangers	0							Central Coast Mariners	6
	Wollongong Wolves	3			Wollongong Wolves	1
	Blacktown City	0			Central Coast Mariners	2
	Central Coast Mariners	1

The round of 32 draw took place on 8 July 2021,^[14] with match information for zones North, South and West confirmed on 14 July 2021.^[15] Edge Hill United were the lowest-ranked side in this round. They were the only level 5 team left in the competition. After Devonport City withdrew from the competition, Avondale FC were awarded a bye to the round of 16.^[16]

Times listed below are at AEST (prior to 5 October 2021), or AEDT (after 5 October 2021)

East Zone

North Zone

South Zone

West Zone

Due to fixture delays as a result of COVID-19 and State border restrictions, the round of 16 draw was conducted in two parts. The first draw took place on 30 September where the winners from the North & West zones were combined into one pool to determine the three fixtures.^[17] On 15 November the remaining draw was conducted with the East & South zones remaining separated.^[18]

The lowest ranked sides that qualified for this round were Adelaide Olympic, APIA Leichhardt Tigers, Avondale FC, Gold Coast Knights, Hume City, Lions FC and Wollongong Wolves. They were the only level 2 teams left in the competition.

All times listed below are at AEDT

East Zone

North/West Zone

South Zone

The draw took place on 5 December 2021.^[19] The lowest ranked side that qualified for this round was APIA Leichhardt Tigers. They were the only level 2 team left in the competition.

All times listed below are at AEDT

The draw took place on 6 January 2022. This was a rare occurrence of all four semi-finalists being members of the top flight.

All times listed below are at AEDT

The recipient of the Michael Cockerill Medal to recognise the tournament's standout National Premier Leagues performer was Finn Beakhurst from Lions FC.^[21] Jake Brimmer from Melbourne Victory and Kye Rowles from Central Coast Mariners won the Mark Viduka Medal for the players of the match in the final, the first time in the competition's history that there's been dual recipients.^[22]

As of 29 January 2022^{[citation needed]}

Rank	Player	Club	Goals
1	Cyrus Dehmie	Brisbane Roar	3
2	Joshua Brillante	Melbourne Victory	2
	Nicholas D'Agostino	Melbourne Victory
	Jordan Farina	Lions FC
	Scott Galloway	Melbourne City
	Elvis Kamsoba	Sydney FC
	Moresche	Central Coast Mariners
	Jason Romero	APIA Leichhardt
	Lachlan Rose	Macarthur FC
	Jaushua Sotirio	Wellington Phoenix
	Ben Waine	Wellington Phoenix

Note

Goals scored in preliminary rounds not included.

Matches were broadcast live on 10 Play.^[23][24] The final was broadcast on free-to-air TV through Network 10, a first for the competition.

• Official website