Each of the Football Australia’s nine state and territory Member Federations will start their Preliminary Round fixtures over the coming weeks, with teams hailing from community grassroots leagues up to the semi-professional tier of Australian football, the National Premier Leagues (NPL).
Since being established by Football Australia in 2014, the country’s largest annual knockout competition has gone from strength to strength each year, delivering exciting ‘Cupsets’ and countless magical moments.
Several memorable highlights have occurred in the Australia Cup, each contributing to the rich tapestry of the competition. Notable instances include Danny Choi's extraordinary 70-yard winning goal for Blacktown City FC against Sydney United 58 FC during extra time in 2016, or Tynan Diaz's long-range free kick for APIA Leichhardt FC against A-League opponents, Western Sydney Wanderers FC, resulting in an exhilarating 'Cupset' during the Round of 16 in 2021.
In 2014, a clash between Adelaide City FC and Western Sydney Wanderers FC became the scene for Australia Cup history, as Adelaide City FC secured a 1-0 victory with a 75th minute goal, marking the birth of the first-ever Australia Cup "Cupset."
The year 2016 witnessed the rise of Victorian side Green Gully FC, announcing themselves as the second-ever NPL team to topple an A-League side in the Australia Cup when they hosted Central Coast Mariners FC in the Round of 32, securing a historic 2-1 triumph. Amazingly, a day after Green Gully's heroics, Football Queensland’s Redlands United FC outshone them, eliminating reigning 2016 A-League Champions Adelaide United FC, underlining the unpredictable and captivating nature of the Australia Cup, where anything can happen.
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