The creation of the Hahn Australia Cup

Australia has had numerous state-wide club knockout competitions over the years, but a sustainable national competition had always been difficult to realise.

Prior to the FFA Cup, the Australia Cup was the first and only truly nation-wide club knockout competition, contested between leading state league teams between 1962 and 1968.

On 29 August 2013, it was announced by Football Australia (then Football Federation Australia (FFA)) that a national Cup knockout competition would commence in 2014, open to any men's team from around the country from the A-Leagues to the lower tiers.

The Preliminary Rounds of the FFA Cup - with Westfield involved as naming rights partner - kicked off in 2014, with the first Round of 32 matches taking place on 29 July.

Initially the competition had a manipulated draw that ensured one Member Federation club reached the Semi Finals of the competition, which helped Bentleigh Greens reach the last four in 2014.

However, from 2021 the competition has been an open draw, with the Winner of the Australia Cup also receiving a spot in AFC club competitions.

Ahead of the 2022 Preliminary Rounds the competition was re-named the Australia Cup, integrating and acknowledging Australian football’s storied past.

Adelaide United are the most successful team in Australia Cup history, winning the competition on three occasions.

Check out our Australia Cup 10 Years Hub below where you can relive all the Finals and memorable moments of the Australia Cup in the modern era.