The 2023 Australia Cup preliminary rounds were the qualifying competition to decide 24 of the 32 teams to take part in the 2023 Australia Cup. The competition commenced in February and was completed in July.
Schedule The fixtures for the competition were as follows.
Round Number of fixtures Clubs A-League ACT NSW NNSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WAPreliminary round 1 + 7 byes 778 → 777 — — — — — 11 Feb — — — —First round 62 + 19 byes 777 → 715 — — — — — 10–21 Feb — — 9–12 Feb —Second round 155 + 56 byes 715 → 548 — — 11–12 Mar 17 Feb–20 Mar — 10 Feb–1 Mar — — 16–19 Feb 25–26 FebThird round 198 + 9 byes 548 → 350 — 25 Feb–5 Mar 21–23 Mar 25 Feb–4 Apr — 17 Feb–6 Apr 10–12 Feb 13–15 Mar 3–6 Mar 18–19 MarFourth round 167 350 → 187 — 15–22 Mar 11–13 Apr 4 Mar–2 May 18 Apr–9 May 21 Mar–22 Apr 16–19 Mar 7–9 Apr 28 Mar–11 Apr 21–23 AprFifth round 87 + 1 bye 187 → 100 — 11–20 Apr 25–27 Apr 11 Mar–30 May 16–23 May 4 Apr–20 May 14–16 Apr 29–30 Apr 26 Apr–9 May 16–17 MaySixth round 44 100 → 56 — 9–11 May 9–17 May 10 Jun 30 May–3 Jun 23 May–10 Jun 9–16 May 20–21 May 16–23 May 6–14 JunSeventh round 22 56 → 34 — 3 Jun 31 May–6 Jun 20–21 Jun 23 Jun 12–25 Jun 31 May–7 Jun 10 Jun 6–13 Jun 20–21 JunPlay-off round 2 34 → 32 17–18 Jul — — — — — — — — — Some round dates in respective Federations overlap due to separate scheduling of Zones/Sub-Zones.
Format The preliminary rounds structures were as follows, and refer to the different levels in the unofficial Australian soccer league system:
First round: 133 Victorian clubs from level 7 and below entered this stage.
Second round: 54 Northern New South Wales clubs from level 4 entered this stage. 81 Victorian clubs (57 from the previous round and 24 teams from level 6 and below) entered this stage. 30 Western Australian clubs from level 5 and below entered this stage.
Third round: 12 Australian Capital Territory clubs from level 3 and below entered this stage. 88 New South Wales Clubs (66 from the previous round and 22 teams from levels 4–5) entered this stage. 42 Northern New South Wales clubs (33 from the previous round and 11 level 3) entered this stage. 83 Queensland clubs (50 from the previous round and 33 teams from level 4 and below) entered this stage. 36 South Australian clubs from level 3 and below entered this stage. 10 Tasmanian clubs from level 3 and below entered this stage. 86 Victorian clubs (38 from the previous round and 48 teams from level 3–4) entered this stage. 42 Western Australian clubs (18 from the previous round and 24 teams from levels 3 and 4) entered this stage.
Fourth round: 16 Australian Capital Territory clubs (4 from the previous round and 12 teams from levels 2–3) entered this stage. 64 New South Wales Clubs (44 from the previous round and 20 teams from levels 2–3) entered this stage. 32 Northern New South Wales clubs (20 from the previous round and 12 teams from 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 (42 from the previous round and 22 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. 78 Victorian clubs (43 from the previous round and 35 teams from levels 2–4) 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. 40 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. 20 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. The 4 winners also qualified for the final rounds of the Waratah Cup. 4 Northern New South Wales clubs progressed to this stage. The 2 winners also qualified for the Final of the NNSWF State Cup. 2 Northern Territory clubs progressed to this stage, which doubled as the Final of the NT Australia Cup. 8 Queensland clubs progressed to this stage; 1 from Central and North Queensland, and 7 from South East Queensland. 4 South Australian clubs progressed to this stage. The 2 winners also qualified for the Final of the Federation Cup. 2 Tasmanian clubs progressed to this stage, which doubled as the Grand Final of the Milan Lakoseljac Cup. 10 Victorian clubs progressed to this stage. The 5 winners also qualified for the final rounds of the Dockerty Cup. 4 Western Australian clubs progressed to this stage. The 2 winners also qualified for the Final of the Football West State Cup.
Play-off round: The four lowest-ranked teams in the 2022–23 A-League Men 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 CC = Central Coast FNG = Far North and Gulf MTI = Mt Isa NTH = Northern REG = Regional Queensland SEQ = South East Queensland WB = Wide BayWC = Whitsunday Coast SA = South Australia TAS = Tasmania VIC = Victoria WA = Western Australia
Preliminary round Fed. Zone Tie no Home team (Tier) Score Away team (Tier)Queensland QLD NTH 1 Ingham (5) 0–4 Burdekin FC (5) Notes QLD Byes: Brothers Townsville (5), Estates FC (5), MA Olympic (5), Rebels FC (5), Riverway JCU (5), Saints Eagles Souths (5), Townsville Warriors (5).
First round
Fed. Zone Tie no Home team (Tier) Score Away team (Tier)Queensland QLD CC 1 Frenchville (5) 3–0 Southside United (5) QLD NTH 2 Rebels FC (5) 3–3† Estates FC (5)Estates FC advance 6–5 on penalties QLD NTH 3 MA Olympic (5) 5–1 Riverway JCU (5) QLD NTH 4 Townsville Warriors (5) 1–0 Brothers Townsville (5) QLD NTH 5 Burdekin FC (5) 2–1 Saints Eagles Souths (5)Victoria VIC – 6 Albert Park (8) 2–2† Keysborough (8)Keysborough advance 3–2 on penalties VIC – 7 Chelsea (8) 1–4 St Kilda (9) VIC – 8 Glen Waverley (9) 2–0 Northern Falcons FC (8) VIC – 9 Sunbury United (7) w/o Falcons 2000 SC (10) VIC – 10 Greenvale United (8) w/o Golden Plains (9) VIC – 11 Lyndale United (8) 2–2† Swinburne University (13)Swinburne University advance 5–3 on penalties VIC – 12 Alphington (9) 1–3† Noble Hurricanes (8) VIC – 13 Middle Park (7) 7–1 ETA Buffalo (9) VIC – 14 Reservoir United (12) 0–3 Mentone (9) VIC – 15 Knox United (9) 2–1† Gisborne (8) VIC – 16 Sandringham SC (8) 1–4 Monbulk Rangers (7) VIC – 17 Barton United (9) 3–9 Uni Hill Eagles (8) VIC – 18 Heidelberg Stars (9) 3–0 Bunyip District (9) VIC – 19 Deakin Ducks (9) 1–7 Plenty Valley Lions (8) VIC – 20 Croydon City (8) 2–1 Fawkner SC (7) VIC – 21 Mount Waverley City (9) 0–0† Fortuna 60 (10)Fortuna 60 advance 5–4 on penalties VIC – 22 Dandenong South (8) 4–1 Moonee Valley Knights (8) VIC – 23 Meadow Park (9) 1–5 Sebastapol Vikings (7) VIC – 24 White Star Dandenong (8) 4–2 Noble Park (9) VIC – 25 Keilor Wolves (8) 5–1 Aspendale (9) VIC – 26 Watsonia Heights (8) 5–0 Moreland United (7) VIC – 27 Bundoora United (8) 0–1 Bayside Argonauts (7) VIC – 28 Moonee Ponds United (8) 3–0 Whitehorse United (8) VIC – 29 Williamstown (7) 2–0 Balmoral (9)
Fed. Zone Tie no Home team (Tier) Score Away team (Tier) VIC – 30 Tatura (10) 11–1 Pakenham United (9) VIC – 31 La Trobe University (8) 1–0 Seaford United (9) VIC – 32 Melton Phoenix (9) 8–0 Mitchell Rangers (9) VIC – 33 Springvale City (8) 2–0 Bendigo City (9) VIC – 34 Mount Martha (9) 6–5 Tullamarine (9) VIC – 35 Lilydale Montrose United (9) 1–6 Monash City Villarreal (8) VIC – 36 Manningham Juventus (8) 4–2 Breakwater Eagles (10) VIC – 37 Diamond Valley United SC (7) 3–2 Kings Domain (8) VIC – 38 Templestowe Wolves (9) 3–1 South Yarra (7) VIC – 39 Endeavour United (8) 7–1 Yarra Jets (9) VIC – 40 Riversdale SC (8) 3–0 Old Melburnians (9) VIC – 41 Ballarat (9) 0–5 Laverton (8) VIC – 42 Glenroy Lions (9) 3–1 Wyndham (9) VIC – 43 Ringwood City SC (8) 3–3† Melbourne University (8)Ringwood City advance 5–4 on penalties VIC – 44 Surf Coast FC (8) 3–0 Maidstone United (9) VIC – 45 Craigieburn City (7) 1–2 Melbourne City (8) VIC – 46 Epsom (10) 5–4 Darebin United SC (8) VIC – 47 Point Cook (7) w/o East Bentleigh (8) VIC – 48 Spring Hills (8) 1–0 Old Trinity Grammarians (9) VIC – 49 Keon Park (9) w/o Thornbury Athletic FC (8) VIC – 50 Ballarat North United (10) 1–6 East Kew (9) VIC – 51 Rowville Eagles (7) 9–0 Roxburgh Park United (9) VIC – 52 Shepparton South (10) w/o Old Xaverians SC (8) VIC – 53 North Melbourne Athletic (8) 2–0 Brunswick Zebras FC (8) VIC – 54 Truganina Hornets (9) 2–0 Boronia (9) VIC – 55 Glen Eira (14) 1–7 Baxter (8) VIC – 56 Tarneit United (9) 2–1 Doreen United (9) VIC – 57 Barnstoneworth United (8) 2–1† West Preston (8) VIC – 58 Mildura City (10) w/o Brighton SC (7) VIC – 59 St Albans Gospic Bears (11) 1–5 Sandown Lions (8) VIC – 60 Monash University (7) 10–0 Maribyrnong Greens (9) VIC – 61 West Point (9) 2–1 Waverley Wanderers (8) VIC – 62 Lara United (9) 7–2 Old Ivanhoe SC (9)
Notes w/o = Walkover † = After Extra Time QLD Byes: Bluebirds FC (5), Capricorn Coast (5), Central FC (5). VIC Byes: Asburton United (7), Barwon (8), Bell Park (8), Border Raiders (11), Casey Panthers (9), Chisholm United (7), Elwood City (7), Hampton Park United Sparrows (9), Heidelberg Eagles (7), Mount Eliza (9), Noble Park United (7), Rosebud (9), Sale United (10), Shepparton United (10), Somerville Eagles (8), St Kevins Old Boys (9), Surfside Waves (9), Western Eagles (7), Westside Strikers Caroline Springs (7).
Second round