The 2026 Australia Cup preliminary rounds was the qualifying competition to decide teams to take part in the 2026 Australia Cup. The competition commenced in January 2026 and concluded in June.
Schedule The fixtures for the competition are as follows.
Round Number of fixtures Clubs ACT NSW NNSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WAQualifying round 2 walkovers+ 14 byes 777 → 775 — — — — 31 Jan — — — —First round 56 + 18 byes 775 → 719 — — – — 31 Jan–7 Feb — — 13–16 Feb —Second round 158 + 41 byes 719 → 561 — 6–14 Mar 14 Feb–15 Mar — 6–8 Feb — — 27 Feb–2 Mar 20–22 FebThird round 203 + 19 byes 561 → 358 24–26 Feb 12–31 Mar 21 Feb–25 Mar — 13–15 Feb 20–28 Feb 7–9 Mar 13–16 Mar 13–15 MarFourth round 172 + 1 bye 358 → 186 10 Mar–14 Apr 7–16 Apr 28 Feb–29 Apr 24 Mar–2 Apr 24 Mar–11 Apr 3–6 Apr 3–6 Apr 31 Mar–6 Apr 10–12 AprFifth round 87 + 1 bye 186 → 99 28 Apr–5 May 21–29 Apr 7 Mar–13 May 30 Mar–7 Apr 21–29 Apr 24–27 Apr 24–26 Apr 28–29 Apr 1–2 MaySixth round 44 99 → 55 20–21 May 5–13 May 6 Jun 2 May 12–31 May 12–20 May 15–17 May 12–13 May 19 MaySeventh round 22 55 → 33 6 Jun 26–28 May 10 Jun 21 May 12–13 Jun 10–17 Jun 8 Jun 26 May–2 Jun 16 JunVictorian play-off round 1 33 → 32 — — — — — — — 16 Jun —
Format The preliminary rounds structures were as follows, and refer to the different levels in the unofficial Australian soccer league system:
Qualifying round: 18 Queensland clubs from Regional Queensland level 5 and below entered this stage.
First round: 16 Queensland clubs (2 from the previous round and 14 regional teams from level 5 and below) entered this stage. 102 Victorian clubs from level 7 and below entered this stage.
Second round: 94 New South Wales clubs from the association clubs level (levels 5 and below) entered this stage. 30 Northern New South Wales clubs (from the south zone teams from levels 4 to 6) entered this stage. 102 Queensland clubs (8 from the previous round, 24 regional teams and 70 metro teams from level 5 and below) entered this stage. 112 Victorian clubs (51 from the previous round and 61 teams from levels 5 and 6) entered this stage. 16 Western Australian clubs from level 5 and below entered at this stage.
Third round: 4 Australian Capital Territory clubs from level 3 and below entered this stage. 100 New South Wales clubs (47 from the previous round and 53 teams from levels 3 and 4) entered this stage. 42 Northern New South Wales clubs (15 from the previous round, 16 north zone teams, 11 south zone teams from levels and 4) entered this stage. 82 Queensland clubs (72 from the previous round, and 10 teams from levels 4) entered this stage. 58 South Australian clubs entered this stage, which doubled as the first stage of the 2026 FSA Federation Cup. 19 Tasmanian clubs entered this stage. 80 Victorian clubs (58 from the previous round and 22 teams from level 5) entered this stage. 42 Western Australian clubs (8 from the previous round and 34 teams from levels 3 and 4) entered this stage.
Fourth round: 16 Australian Capital Territory clubs (2 from the previous round, 14 teams from levels 2 and 3) entered this stage. 64 New South Wales clubs (50 from the previous round and 14 teams from level 2) entered this stage. 32 Northern New South Wales clubs (21 from the previous round and 11 south zone teams from level 2) entered this stage. 11 Northern Territory clubs from level 2 and below entered this stage. 64 Queensland clubs (41 from the previous round and 23 teams from levels 2 and 3) entered this stage. 32 South Australian clubs progressed to this stage. 16 Tasmanian clubs progressed to this stage. 80 Victorian clubs (40 from the previous round and 40 teams from levels 2, 3 and 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 (2 from Alice Springs, 4 from the previous round and the winner of the 2025 NorZone Premier League) entered this stage. 32 Queensland clubs progressed to this stage. 40 Victorian clubs progressed to this stage. 16 South Australian clubs progressed to this stage. 8 Tasmanian 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 club 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. 20 Victorian clubs progressed to this stage. 8 South Australian clubs progressed to this stage. 4 Tasmanian 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 Regional Queensland, and 7 from South East Queensland. The 4 winners also qualified for the semi-finals of the Kappa Queensland Cup. 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. Three of the winners progressed to the Round of 32, whilst two winners progressed to the play-off round. 4 Western Australian clubs progressed to this stage. The 2 winners also qualified for the Final of the Football West State Cup. Victorian play-off round: Two of the five Round 7 winners played-off for the last spot for the Round of 32.
Key to abbreviations FederationZone ACT = Australian Capital Territory NSW = New South Wales NNSW = Northern New South Wales NTH = North STH = South NT = Northern Territory ASP = Alice Springs DAR = Darwin QLD = Queensland CC = Central CoastFNG = Far North and GulfNTH = NorthernREG = Regional Queensland (general)WB = Wide BayWC = Whitsunday Coast SEQ = South East Queensland SA = South Australia TAS = Tasmania VIC = Victoria WA = Western Australia
Qualifying round Fed. Zone Tie no Home team (Tier) Score Away team (Tier)Queensland QLD CC 1 Southside United (6) w/o Clinton FC (5) QLD WB 2 Doon Villa (5) w/o Bargara FC (5) Notes: w/o = Walkover QLD Byes: Across The Waves (5), Berserker Bears (5), Bingera FC (5), Boyne Tannum FC (5), Bluebirds United (5), Brothers Aston Villa (5), Capricorn Coast FC (5), Central FC (5), SC Corinthians (5), Frenchville SC (5), Nerimbera FC (5), Sunbury Blues (5), United Park Eagles (5), United Warriors (5).
First round
Fed. Zone Tie no Home team (Tier) Score Away team (Tier)Queensland QLD CC 1 Nerimbera FC (5) 5–1 Capricorn Coast(5) QLD CC 2 Bluebirds United (5) 2–16 Frenchville FC (5) QLD CC 3 Central FC (5) 8–0 Boyne Tannum (5) QLD CC 4 Clinton FC (5) 3–1 Berserker Bears (5) QLD WB 5 United Warriors (5) 1–2 Bingera FC (5) QLD WB 6 SC Corinthians (5) 4–0 Brothers Aston Villa (5) QLD WB 7 Bargara FC (5) 0–10 Sunbury Blues (5) QLD WB 8 Across The Waves (5) 2–1 United Park Eagles (5)VictoriaVIC–9 Melbourne University (8) 3–3† Brighton SC (10) Brighton advance 5–3 on penaltiesVIC–10 St Albans Gospic Bears (13) w/o Heidelberg Stars (9)VIC–11 Fortuna '60 (9) w/o Melton Phoenix (8)VIC–12 Newport Storm (9) w/o Rosebud FC (8)VIC–13 West Preston (8) 1–0† Keilor Wolves (9)VIC–14 Barwon FC (10) 1–2 Doreen United (9)VIC–15 Lilydale Montrose United (11) w/o Point Cook (8)VIC–16 Bendigo City (9) w/o Bunyip & District (10)VIC–17 Pakenham United (10) 0–2 Casey Panthers (10)VIC–18 Ocean Grove (10) 4–0 Old Melburnians (10) Ocean Grove tie reversed from original drawVIC–19 Croydon Ranges (11) 1–8 Seaford United (9)VIC–20 Baxter FC (8) 5–1 Bacchus Marsh (12)VIC–21 Spring Gully United (12) 2–0 Thornbury Athletic (9)VIC–22 Yarra Jets (9) 6–1 Spring Hills (10)VIC–23 ETA Buffalo Club (11) w/o Greenvale United (11)VIC–24 FC Eaglehawk (12) 3–5 Ballarat North United (12)VIC–25 Chelsea FC (8) 2–0 Monbulk Rangers (9)VIC–26 Lyndale United (9) 1–3 Whitehorse United (10)VIC–27 Boronia FC (11) 1–3 Darebin United (9)
Fed. Zone Tie no Home team (Tier) Score Away team (Tier) VIC–28 Noble Suns (11) w/o Ringwood City (8)VIC–29 Shepparton United (12) 3–1 Melbourne City (9)VIC–30 Somerville Eagles (9) w/o Wyndham FC (11)VIC–31 Westside Strikers Caroline Springs (8) 1–0 Mount Eliza (10)VIC–32 East Bentleigh (9) 5–3† Aspendale FC (11)VIC–33 Glen Eira (12) 1–0 Golden City (12)VIC–34 Mount Martha (11) 0–6 Kings Domain (8)VIC–35 Moonee Valley Knights (9) 2–1 Ballarat SC (12)VIC–36 Mentone FC (10) 0–10 Sebastopol Vikings (8)VIC–37 Alphington FC (10) 5–1 West Point (10)VIC–38 Truganina Hornets (10) 1–0 Keysborough SC (11)VIC–39 Mount Waverley City (9) 3–0 La Trobe University (11)VIC–40 Meadow Park (9) 6–2 Strathdale FC (12)VIC–41 Watsonia Heights (8) 9–0 Swinburne FC (13)VIC–42 Gisborne FC (11) 2–2† FC Birrarung (11) Gisborne advance 5–4 on penaltiesVIC–43 Springvale City (8) w/o Cleeland United (11)VIC–44 Maidstone United (10) 2–0 Endeavour Hills Fire (11)VIC–45 Keon Park (8) 6–2 Templestowe Wolves (9)VIC–46 Keysborough District (11) 3–2 Castlemaine Goldfields (13)VIC–47 Mitchell Rangers (11) 0–9 Hume Bulls (10) Mitchell Rangers tie reversed from original drawVIC–48 Monash City Villarreal (9) 4–1 Noble Hurricanes (9)VIC–49 Moonee Ponds United (8) 5–0 Glenroy Lions (10)VIC–50 Bell Park (8) 0–3 Ashburton United (8)VIC–51 Old Ivanhoe (10) 3–1 Burwood City (11)VIC–52 Frankston Pines (10) w/o Old Trinity Grammarians (11)VIC–53 Glen Waverley (11) w/o Greater Dandenong (8)VIC–54 Moreland Eagles (10) 6–0 Knox United (10)VIC–55 Sandown Lions (9) 1–2 Riversdale FC (8)VIC–56 East Kew (8) 11–0 Latrobe University Bendigo (12)
Notes: w/o = Walkover † = After Extra Time Vic Byes: Albert Park (8), Barnstoneworth United (8), Deakin University Ducks (9), Docklands Athletic (10), Dynamo Melbourne (11), Fitzroy Lions (12), Footscray Rangers (11), Lara United (9), Laverton FC (8), Monash University (8), Murray United (11), Old St Kevins (10), Phillip Island (12), Reservoir United (16), Roxburgh Park United (11), Sale United (12), Truganina Lions (12), Warrnambool Rangers (12).
Second round