The FFA Cup will be no more, with Football Australia announcing the country’s largest national knockout competition will be known as the Australia Cup from the 2022 edition onwards.
Saturday’s final between Melbourne Victory and Central Coast Mariners at AAMI Park will be the last decider known as the FFA Cup.
The transition from the FFA Cup, which was established in 2014, to the Australia Cup will take place over the coming weeks as the preliminary rounds of the 2022 competition get underway in States and Territories across the nation.
It brings in a new era but pays homage to Australian football’s rich history and storied past.
The Australia Cup was held between 1962 and 1986, featuring leading state league teams of the time – the champions being Yugal, Port Melbourne, Caroline Springs George Cross, Sydney Hakoah (twice), APIA Leichhardt, Melbourne Hungaria.
“Through discussion with Australian football historians, and dialogue with fans and stakeholders of the competition, the consensus was that the name Australia Cup truly speaks to what this competition is and represents,” said Football Australia CEO James Johnson.
We are pleased that through this process pioneering players, clubs, and officials can feel recognised and connected to the competition,” Johnson said.
“The research and consultation we have conducted regarding this name change indicates that people will be overwhelmingly happy with the shift to Australia Cup from 2022 onwards.
“We have really evolved the FFA Cup competition this year and changing the name of the competition to the Australia Cup is an exciting next step in this evolution. It was a year of many firsts – the first time the competition was played live and free-to-air via Network 10, giving it unprecedent exposure. We also scheduled matches in the final stages of the competition so that some were played on weekends, making it more friendly for the thousands of supporters across the country.
“The granting of one of Australia’s ‘half-spots’ in the AFC Champions League also meant that this year community clubs right up to Isuzu UTE A-League clubs could dream of representing their supporters, communities, and Australia on the international stage.
“Our Cup competition has always been one which has connected and united Australia’s football community, and we believe the name change will ultimately serve to elevate the competition in the national and international consciousness, as clubs aspire to win a competition that represents our entire football ecosystem.
“As the Australia Cup in 2022, we want to see more clubs from right across the country join the competition. We will see a competition where every game matters. Being played in the winter months, we also anticipate that football will be fast-paced and exciting. We are very excited about the start of a new chapter for the Australia Cup in 2022,” he said.
