FFA Cup 2019 Qualification & Format
There is no doubting that the FFA Cup has become one of the most exciting and anticipated competitions in the nation since its inception in 2014, with the number of competing clubs growing year on year. As a result of this growth and following a review of the FFA Cup qualification process for Queensland, the 2019 FFA Cup will be wholly administered by Football Queensland. Football Queensland received feedback from Zones regarding the Cup's qualification process in the state, with it noted that there was a limited opportunity for multiple teams to qualify from within a single zone. The new format Football Queensland has adopted seeks to address these issues, while taking into account the geographical and logistical challenges involved with football in a such a large state. The main aim being to provide greater variety and opportunity for competing clubs and to encourage more teams to enter the Cup and provide the best opportunity for Queensland's Round of 32 qualification spots to remain unchanged for future seasons. The 2019 qualification process will now be contested from two qualification regions.
South-East Queensland - Football Brisbane, Sunshine Coast Football, Football South West and Football Gold Coast.
Central & Northern Queensland - Football Wide Bay, Central Queensland Football, Mackay Regional Football Zone, North Queensland Football, North West Queensland Football and Far North Queensland Football.
The South-East Queensland Region will compete for 3 qualification spots in the Round of 32, whilst the Central & North Queensland region will compete for 1 spot. These changes will see Football Brisbane clubs potentially travelling to other south-east Queensland zones to compete in FFA Cup matches. The 2019 edition of the FFA Cup will consist of the following qualifying rounds (note that South-East Queensland does not require a RD1).
RD2 – (100 Teams) up to 100 teams into the draw to get 50 winners.
RD3 – (50 Teams) 50 RD2 winners (or byes dependant on number of entrants).
RD4 – (48 Teams) 25 RD3 winners + 23 NPL and FQPL teams.
RD5 – (24 Teams) 24 RD4 winners.
RD6 – (12 Teams) 12 RD5 winners.
RD7 – (6 Teams) 6 Round 6 winners – 3 winners to Round of 32.
FFA Cup Round 2 will be played 1-3 and Round 2 of Brisbane Premier League/Vilic Law Capital Leagues will now be scheduled for 12-14 April. Round 3 of the Brisbane Premier League/Vilic Law Capital Leagues will remain as 8-10 March and follow on from there. Due to the occurrence of inter-zone matches, FFA Cup Round 2 ties must be played on that weekend to allow for travel. The other South-East Queensland zones have also committed to facilitating fixtures on this weekend (1-3 March). For future rounds where a Football Brisbane club is drawn against inter-zone opposition, league matches will be rescheduled to mid-week to accommodate these fixtures. Key FFA Cup dates are:
Feb 13 – Nominations close for South-East Queensland Region teams (date has been extended from Feb 8).
Feb 20 – Live Round 2 Draw.
Mar 1-3 – Round 2 ties played.
