10 Isuzu UTE A-League clubs will continue their quest for Australia Cup glory on Tuesday night when the Round of 32 gets underway.
Holders Sydney FC begin their Australia Cup defence with a hotly anticipated clash against NPLM Victoria side Oakleigh Cannons at the Home of the Matildas on Tuesday evening.
The Sky Blues came from behind to eventually beat Brisbane Roar 3-1 in last year’s final and will now look to overcome a potential banana skin of a fixture against an Oakleigh side that famously knocked them out at the quarter-final stage in 2022.
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC: Icon who ’embodies the value & culture’ of Sydney FC named club captain for 2024-25 season
Also kicking off at 7:30pm AEST on Tuesday July 30 are Isuzu UTE A-League side Macarthur FC, with Mile Sterjovski’s men travelling to to the ACT to face O’Connor Knights SC at GIO Stadium.
The Bulls captured their first piece of silverware in club history in the 2021 edition of the Australia Cup and now a new-look Macarthur team featuring the likes of Luke Brattan, Chris Ikonomidis and Marin Jakoliš will be out to impress following on from a solid season which saw them reach the Isuzu UTE A-League Finals Series in 2023-24.
TRANSFER NEWS: Isuzu UTE A-League 2024-25 Transfer Centre: Your club’s ins/outs
On Wednesday July 31, three more Isuzu UTE A-League sides are in action with three-time winners Adelaide United facing NPLM NSW side Blacktown City FC.
Now without the likes of Nestory Irankunda and Hiroshi Ibusuki, coach Carl Veart will look to youngsters Archie Goodwin and Luka Jovanovic to supply the goals when they travel to Sydney while Dutch defender Bart Vriends will add some much needed experience at the back.
Meanwhile Alen Stajcic takes charge of his first game as head coach of the Western Sydney Wanderers when they travel to Queensland to take on Brisbane City.
Defeated at the quarter-final stage of last year’s tournament the Wanderers will look to go deeper this year and will be hoping new recruit Bozhidar Kraev will provide the spark needed to get them off to a winning start.
Elsewhere, having dismantled fellow Isuzu UTE A-League side Western United 4-1 in last week’s Australia Cup play-offs Rob Stanton’s Newcastle Jets visit Sydney’s South to take on Rockdale Ilinden.
Now without top scorer Apostolos Stamatelopoulos following his transfer to Europe, the Jets will look to new recruit Lachie Rose to provide the goals after he joined the club from Macarthur FC.
Saturday sees two Isuzu UTE A-League teams go head-to-head at the Sam Kerr Football Centre in Western Australia as Perth Glory host Melbourne City.
After brushing aside Brisbane Roar 4-1 in the Australia Cup play-offs during what was new Glory head coach David Zdrillic’s first game in charge, Perth will take on a Melbourne City side aiming to win the Australia Cup for the first time since 2016.
LOCKED IN! Dates announced for 2024-25 A-Leagues season
UNITE ROUND LAUNCHED FOR 2024-25: Everything you need to know
UNITE ROUND 2024-25: What’s new this season?
FULL FIXTURE: Who your team is up against in Unite Round
On Tuesday, August 6 Melbourne Victory will be out to avoid a cupset when they take on NPL Northern NSW side Lambton Jaffas at Jack MacLaughlan Oval in Edgeworth.
Another coach seeking to win his first competitive match in charge, Victory boss Patrick Kisnorbo has begun rebuilding his squad following the exits of experienced first-team players Damien Da Silva, Paul Izzo, Chris Ikonomidis and Jake Brimmer.
Taking their places within the victory set-up are the likes of Jing Reec, Reno Piscopo, Jack Duncan and Brendan Hamill while Socceroo Jason Geria has also re-signed on a new two-year deal.
On the same night, Wellington Phoenix travel across the Tasman to take on NPL VIC outfit South Melbourne at Lakeside Stadium.
Head coach Giancarlo Italiano will look to carry momentum over from an impressive 2023-24 campaign which saw the ‘Nix reach the Isuzu UTE A-League Semi-Finals however he’ll be without the likes of Oskar Zawada, Bozhidar Kraev, Ben Old, Alex Paulsen, Finn Surman and Nicholas Pennington – all of whom left the club in the off-season.
Rounding things off on Wednesday, August 7 are the reigning Isuzu UTE A-League Champions Central Coast Mariners, who travel to Victoria to take on Heidelberg United.
Fresh off penning a new three-year contract, head coach Mark Jackson will be aiming to capture a fourth trophy of his tenure having captured the Premiership, Championship and AFC Cup treble in his first season in charge.
How to watch?
All Australia Cup matches will be streamed live and free on 10Play.
Australia Cup 2024 – Round of 32 Fixtures
| Match Day 1 – Tuesday, 30 July | ||||
| Home Team | Away Team | Venue | Kick-off | |
| Oakleigh Cannons | v | Sydney FC | Home of the Matildas, Bundoora, VIC | 7.30pm AEST |
| O’Connor Knights | v | Macarthur FC | Canberra Venue TBC | 7.30pm AEST |
| Darwin Hearts | v | Hume City | Darwin Football Stadium, Marrara, NT | 7.00pm local (7.30pm AEST) |
| Moreton City Excelsior | v | Campbelltown City | Wolter Park, Albany Creek, QLD | 7.00pm AEST |
| Match Day 2 – Wednesday, 31 July | ||||
| Blacktown City | v | Adelaide United | Landen Stadium, Seven Hills, NSW | 7.30pm AEST |
| Brisbane City | v | Western Sydney Wanderers | Imperial Corp Stadium, Newmarket, QLD | 7.30pm AEST |
| Rockdale Ilinden | v | Newcastle Jets | Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre, Rockdale, NSW | 7.30pm AEST |
| Perth RedStar | v | Lions FC | Percy Doyle Reserve, Duncraig, WA | 6.30pm local (8.30pm AEST) |
| Match Day 3 – Saturday, 3 August | ||||
| Perth Glory | v | Melbourne City | Sam Kerr Football Centre, Queen’s Park, WA | 5.30pm local (7.30pm AEST) |
| Match Day 4 – Tuesday, 6 August | ||||
| Lambton Jaffas | v | Melbourne Victory | Jack MacLaughlan Oval, Edgeworth, NSW | 7.30pm AEST |
| South Melbourne | v | Wellington Phoenix | Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park, VIC | 7.30pm AEST |
| FC Melbourne Srbija | v | Modbury Jets | Home of the Matildas, Bundoora, VIC | 7.30pm AEST |
| Olympic Kingsway | v | Edgeworth Eagles | Kingsway Reserve, Madeley, WA | 6.30pm local (8.30pm AEST) |
| Match Day 5 – Wednesday, 7 August | ||||
| Heidelberg United | v | Central Coast Mariners | Olympic Village, Heidelberg West, VIC | 7.30pm AEST |
| NWS Spirit | v | Glenorchy Knights | Christie Park, Macquarie Park, NSW | 7.30pm AEST |
| Olympic FC | v | APIA Leichhardt | Goodwin Park, Yeronga, QLD | 7.30pm AEST |
Key dates for Round of 16 and beyond
Following the completion of the Round of 32, the tournament that began with 758 clubs will be whittled down to just 16 and the dates for the final rounds of the competition are locked in:
Round of 16
- August 24-28: Eight games across two weeks
Quarter-Finals
- September 11-15: Four games in one week
Semi-Finals
- September 21-22: Two games in one week
Final
- Saturday, October 5
