The 2021 FFA Cup preliminary rounds were the qualifying competition to decide 23 of the 32 teams to take part in the 2021 FFA Cup (now known as the Australia Cup). The competition commenced in February and was completed in November.

Schedule The fixtures for the competition were as follows.

Round Number of fixtures Clubs ACT NSW NNSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA 27 + 1 bye 765 → 738 – – – – – – – – 20–21 Feb – First round 38 738 → 700 – – – – – – – – 27 Feb – Second round 147 + 52 byes 700 → 553 – – 6–30 Mar 14–26 Mar – 12 Feb–13 Mar – – 6–7 Mar 20 Feb–7 Mar Third round 207 + 6 byes 553 → 346 – 10–14 Mar 14 Mar–6 Apr 20 Mar–7 Apr – 19 Feb–27 Mar 24–28 Mar 8 Mar 12–15 Mar 19–27 Mar Fourth round 165 + 1 bye 346 → 181 – 22 Mar–4 Apr 13–21 Apr 28 Apr–19 May 30 Mar–12 May 3–4 Apr 23–25 Apr 2–5 Apr 2–5 Apr 30 Mar–13 Apr Fifth round 84 181 → 97 – 28 Apr–5 May 27 Apr–5 May 18–26 May 27 Apr–18 May 20 Mar–25 Apr 14–16 May 1–2 May 27 Apr–22 Jun 15–19 May Sixth round 42 97 → 55 – 19–26 May 11–26 May 12 Jun 25 May–5 Jun 27 Mar–26 May 8–9 Jun 29–30 May 25 May–29 Jun 1–2 Jun Seventh round 21 55 → 34 – 5 Jun 2–16 Jun 14–23 Jun 22 Jun 19–20 Jun 21–27 Jun 14 Jun 6–7 Jul 22–23 Jun Play-off round 2 34 → 32 13–24 Nov – – – – – – – – – Some round dates in respective Federations overlap due to separate scheduling of zones.

Format There were changes to the make-up of the entrants compared to the 2019 edition, with South Australia's qualifying places increasing from 1 to 2, and NSW losing one place. Additionally, the top eight placed A-League clubs for the 2020–21 A-League season gained automatic qualification to the Round of 32. The remaining four teams competed in a play-off series for the remaining two positions.

The preliminary rounds structures were as follows, and refer to the different levels in the unofficial Australian soccer league system:

Qualifying round: 55 Victorian clubs from level 9 and from regional leagues entered at this stage.

First round: 76 Victorian clubs (28 from the previous round and 48 teams from level 8) entered at this stage.

Second round: 122 New South Wales clubs level 6 and below entered this stage. 46 Northern New South Wales clubs level 4 and below entered this stage. 87 Queensland clubs (level 4 and below) entered this stage. 62 Victorian clubs (38 from the previous round and 24 teams from level 7) entered this stage. 24 Western Australian clubs from level 5 and below, including from regional leagues, entered this stage.

Third round: 13 Australian Capital Territory clubs from level 3 and below entered this stage. 90 New South Wales Clubs (67 from the previous round and 23 teams from levels 4–5) entered this stage. 44 Northern New South Wales clubs (33 from the previous round and 11 level 3) entered this stage. 76 Queensland clubs (50 from the previous round and 26 teams from level 4 and below) entered this stage. 41 South Australian clubs from level 3 and below entered this stage. 12 Tasmanian clubs from level 3 and below entered this stage. 100 Victorian clubs (31 from the previous round and 69 teams from levels 3–6) entered this stage. 42 Western Australian clubs (12 from the previous round and 30 teams from levels 3 and 4) entered this stage.

Fourth round: 16 Australian Capital Territory clubs (8 from the previous round and 8 teams from level 2) entered this stage. 64 New South Wales Clubs (45 from the previous round and 19 teams from levels 2–3) entered this stage. 32 Northern New South Wales clubs (22 from the previous round and 10 level 2) entered this stage. 11 Northern Territory clubs (7 from Norzone (Darwin) and 4 from FICA (Alice Springs)) from levels 2–3 entered this stage. 64 Queensland clubs (39 from the previous round and 25 teams from level 2 and 3) entered this stage. 32 South Australian clubs (21 from the previous round and 11 teams from level 2) entered this stage. 16 Tasmanian clubs (6 from the previous round and 10 teams from level 2 and 3) entered this stage. 64 Victorian clubs (50 from the previous round and 14 teams from level 2) entered this stage. 32 Western Australian clubs (21 from the previous round and 11 teams from level 2) entered this stage.

Fifth round: 8 Australian Capital Territory clubs progressed to this stage. 32 New South Wales clubs progressed to this stage. 16 Northern New South Wales clubs progressed to this stage. 8 Northern Territory clubs (6 from the previous round and 2 Norzone (Darwin) teams from level 2) entered this stage. 32 Queensland clubs progressed to this stage. 16 South Australian clubs progressed to this stage. 8 Tasmanian clubs progressed to this stage. 32 Victorian clubs progressed to this stage. 16 Western Australian clubs progressed to this stage.

Sixth round: 4 Australian Capital Territory clubs progressed to this stage. 16 New South Wales clubs progressed to this stage. 8 Northern New South Wales clubs progressed to this stage. 4 Northern Territory clubs progressed to this stage. 16 Queensland clubs progressed to this stage. 8 South Australian clubs progressed to this stage. 4 Tasmanian clubs progressed to this stage. 16 Victorian clubs progressed to this stage. 8 Western Australian clubs progressed to this stage.

Seventh round: 2 Australian Capital Territory clubs progressed to this stage, which doubled as the Final of the Federation Cup. 8 New South Wales clubs progressed to this stage. 4 Northern New South Wales clubs progressed to this stage. 2 Northern Territory clubs progressed to this stage, which doubled as the NT FFA Cup Final. 8 Queensland clubs progressed to this stage; 2 from Central and North Queensland, and 6 from South East Queensland. 4 South Australian clubs progressed to this stage. The 2 winners also participated in the Grand Final of the Federation Cup. 2 Tasmanian clubs progressed to this stage, which doubled as the Grand Final of the Milan Lakoseljac Cup. 8 Victorian clubs progressed to this stage. The 4 winners also qualified to the final rounds of the Dockerty Cup. 4 Western Australian clubs progressed to this stage. The 2 winners also participated in the Final of the Football West State Cup.

Play-off round: The four lowest-ranked teams in the 2020–21 A-League played-off for two spots in the Round of 32.

Key to abbreviations FederationZone ACT = Australian Capital Territory NSW = New South Wales NNSW = Northern New South Wales NTH = NorthSTH = South NT = Northern Territory ASP = Alice Springs DAR = Darwin QLD = Queensland CQ = Central Queensland FNQ = Far North Queensland MR = Mackay Region NQ = North Queensland SEQ = South East Queensland WB = Wide Bay SA = South Australia TAS = Tasmania VIC = Victoria WA = Western Australia

Qualifying round The draw for the qualifying round was conducted on 4 February 2021. A total of 55 clubs from Men's State League 5, Bendigo Amateur Soccer League, Ballarat & District Soccer Association, Sunraysia, Metropolitan League, and Latrobe Valley Soccer League in Victoria entered at this stage.

Fed. Zone Tie no Home team (Tier) Score Away team (Tier)Victoria VIC – 1 Aspendale SC (9) 0–6 Bundoora United (9) VIC – 2 Ballarat SC (9) 2–2† Glen Waverley (9)Glen Waverley advance 4–3 on penalties VIC – 3 Casey Panthers (9) w/o White Star Dandenong (9) VIC – 4 Endeavour Hills (9) 1–4 Surfside Waves (10) VIC – 5 Glenroy Lions (9) 6–1 Glen Eira (9) VIC – 6 Albert Park (9) w/o Macedon Blues United (9) VIC – 7 Hampton Park United Sparrows (9) 5–0 Maribyrnong Greens (9) VIC – 8 Mildura City (10) 4–2 Shepparton South (10) VIC – 9 Falcons 2000 (10) 6–1 Bacchus Marsh (10) VIC – 10 Deakin Ducks (9) 3–0 Old Trinity Grammarians (9) VIC – 11 Tullamarine FC (9) 1–3 Moonee Valley Knights (9) VIC – 12 Melton Phoenix (9) 7–0 Wyndham FC (9) VIC – 13 Lilydale Montrose United (9) w/o Daylesford & Hepburn United (10)

Fed. Zone Tie no Home team (Tier) Score Away team (Tier) VIC – 14 Old Ivanhoe (9) 0–3 Mount Waverley City (9) VIC – 15 Knox United (9) 0–2 Yarra Jets (9) VIC – 16 Balmoral FC (9) 5–0 Alphington FC (9) VIC – 17 Moama-Echuca Border Raiders (10) w/o Melbourne Lions (9) VIC – 18 Bunyip District (9) 3–1 West Point (9) VIC – 19 Keon Park (9) w/o Old Mentonians (10) VIC – 20 Pakenham United (9) w/o South East United (9) VIC – 21 Spring Gully United (11) 0–5 Barwon SC (10) VIC – 22 Mount Martha (9) 2–5 East Kew (9) VIC – 23 Old Melburnians (9) 1–1† Keilor Wolves (9)Keilor Wolves advance 5–4 on penalties VIC – 24 Maidstone United (9) 3–2 Boronia SC (9) VIC – 25 St Kevins Old Boys (9) 6–1 Mitchell Rangers (9) VIC – 26 Barton United (11) 3–0 Meadow Park (9) VIC – 27 Rosebud SC (9) 1–2 Lara United (9)

Notes w/o = Walkover † = After Extra Time VIC Byes – Tatura SC (10).

First round

Fed. Zone Tie no Home team (Tier) Score Away team (Tier)Victoria VIC – 1 Laverton FC (8) w/o FC Noble Hurricanes (8) VIC – 2 Lilydale Montrose United (9) w/o Melbourne Lions SC (8) VIC – 3 Brunswick Juventus Junior (8) w/o Reservoir Yeti SC (8) VIC – 4 Mount Waverley City (9) w/o RMIT FC (8) VIC – 5 Greenvale United (8) 4–1 Sandringham SC (8) VIC – 6 Yarra Jets (9) 1–5 Westside Strikers Caroline Springs (8) VIC – 7 Ringwood City (8) 3–2 Bunyip District (9) VIC – 8 Macedon Blues United (9) 6–3 Hampton Park United Sparrows (9) VIC – 9 Balmoral FC (9) 0–4 Melbourne University (8) VIC – 10 St Kevins Old Boys (9) 1–0 Barton United (11) VIC – 11 Plenty Valley Lions (8) 5–0 Old Xaverians (8) VIC – 12 Bundoora United (9) 2–0 Endeavour United (8) VIC – 13 Northern Falcons (8) 3–2 Dingley Stars (8) VIC – 14 Mildura City (10) 0–2 Chisholm United (8) VIC – 15 Lara United (9) 3–2† Waverley Wanderers (8) VIC – 16 Sandown Lions (8) 3–3† Old Mentonians SC (10)Sandown Lions advance 4–3 on penalties VIC – 17 Noble Park United (8) 4–1 Barwon SC (10) VIC – 18 Pakenham United (9) 3–4 Keilor Wolves (9) VIC – 19 Marcellin Old Collegians (8) 2–0 Old Camberwell Grammar (8)

Fed. Zone Tie no Home team (Tier) Score Away team (Tier) VIC – 20 Moama-Echuca Border Raiders (10) w/o Barnstoneworth United (8) VIC – 21 Moonee Valley Knights (9) 1–1† La Trobe University (8)Moonee Valley Knights advance 5–4 on penalties VIC – 22 Springvale City (8) 1–4 Gisborne SC (8) VIC – 23 Darebin United (8) 4–2 Chelsea FC (8) VIC – 24 Kings Domain (8) 1–4 Monash City Villarreal (8) VIC – 25 North Melbourne Athletic (8) 1–2 Somerville Eagles (8) VIC – 26 Seaford United (8) 2–0 Baxter SC (8) VIC – 27 Maidstone United (9) 3–1 Lyndale United (8) VIC – 28 Uni Hill Eagles (8) w/o Glen Waverley (9) VIC – 29 Casey Panthers (9) 2–3† Riversdale SC (8) VIC – 30 Melbourne City (8) 2–3 East Kew (9) VIC – 31 Watsonia Heights (8) 5–2 Surfside Waves (10) VIC – 32 Melton Phoenix (9) 1–3 Croydon City (8) VIC – 33 Bell Park (8) w/o Falcons 2000 (10) VIC – 34 West Preston (8) w/o Keysborough SC (8) VIC – 35 Deakin Ducks (9) 2–0 Tatura SC (10) VIC – 36 Noble Park (8) w/o Golden Plains (8) VIC – 37 Surf Coast (8) w/o Spring Hills (8) VIC – 38 Thornbury Athletic (8) 2–2† Glenroy Lions (9)Glenroy Lions advance 4–3 on penalties

Notes w/o = Walkover † = After Extra Time

Second round