The draw process for the 2024 Final Rounds of the Australia Cup will feature a notable change starting from the Round of 16 onwards. Unlike previous years where individual draws were held at each stage, all subsequent rounds will now be drawn simultaneously.
Before delving into these changes, let’s review the draw principles for 2024:
- All matches in the Australia Cup Final Rounds will be determined through a live draw.
- Each entrant in the Australia Cup Final Rounds will be represented by a ball in the draw pot.
- Per clause 21.1 (b) of the Regulations, the home club for each match will be decided based on:
- For matches involving only Member Federation Clubs, the first drawn club.
- For matches involving a Member Federation Club and an Isuzu UTE A-League Men Club, the Member Federation Club.
- For matches involving only Isuzu UTE A-League Men Clubs, the first drawn club.
- According to clause 22.1 (c), Wellington Phoenix FC will always be considered the Away Club, regardless of draw order.
- Similar to 2022 and 2023, the geographical zone format used in 2021 for the Round of 32 and Round of 16 will not be utilized in 2024.
- The draw will remain completely open throughout the Final Rounds.
Round of 32: The Australia Cup Round of 32 matches will be played over three weeks in late July and early August. Football Australia will place 32 balls containing the names of qualified clubs into one pot for an open draw. Balls will be drawn one by one to reveal the 16 matches.
Round of 16, Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals: In a departure from previous formats, the draw for the Quarter Finals and Semi-Finals will occur immediately after the Round of 16 Draw. Balls will be labeled with match numbers rather than club names, and they will be drawn sequentially to establish the tournament bracket. This means teams advancing from the Round of 16 will know their potential opponents in the subsequent stages.
Australia Cup Final 2024: The venue for the Australia Cup Final will be chosen at the discretion of Football Australia, considering factors like venue availability, broadcast needs, security, commercial aspects, marketing, and financial considerations.
Round of 32 Live Draw: Catch the Round of 32 Live Draw for free on Wednesday, 19 June 2024, streaming on 10 Play, Australia Cup Facebook, and the Football Australia YouTube channel.
Australia Cup 2024 Final Rounds Match Schedule Summary: The matches for the Australia Cup 2024 Final Rounds will be scheduled based on the dates provided in the table below, contingent upon match pairings, respective NPL fixtures, and venue availability.