Amateur footballers across Australia will have the chance to line-up against the stars of the A–League as early as next year after the Football Federation of Australia confirmed the introduction of the national knock-out competition, the FFA Cup.
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The contest will be similar in style to the FA Cup in England and will involve teams from grassroots level all the way through to the top tier of Australian football. The governing body approved the new tournament at a board meeting last week after the nine state and territory football members and all A-League clubs unanimously agreed to the concept.
“The idea of the FFA Cup has captured the imagination of the football community and there's a huge groundswell of support,” Gallop said. “Everyone in the game is keen for this concept to come to life, but the prudent way forward is to ensure the right commercial and organisational foundations are in place.
Amateur, semi-professional and professional teams across the nation can compete in the FFA Cup. The higher-profile clubs, including A–League teams, will enter the tournament in progressive stages due to a seeding system. The final format of the competition, including start dates and scheduling will be determined after commercial partners are finalised.
“FFA Management now has a mandate to conclude the many positive talks we've had with broadcasters, sponsors and commercial partners," Gallop said.
