2021 FFA Cup preliminary rounds


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. The competition commenced in February and was completed in November.

Schedule

The fixtures for the competition were as follows.
RoundNumber of fixturesClubsACTNSW[Northern Football NSW|NSW Football|NNSW]NTQLDSATASVICWA
27 + 1 bye765 → 738––––––––20–21 Feb–
First round38738 → 700––––––––27 Feb–
Second round147 + 52 byes700 → 553––6–30 Mar14–26 Mar–12 Feb–13 Mar––6–7 Mar20 Feb–7 Mar
Third round207 + 6 byes553 → 346–10–14 Mar14 Mar–6 Apr20 Mar–7 Apr–19 Feb–27 Mar24–28 Mar8 Mar12–15 Mar19–27 Mar
Fourth round165 + 1 bye346 → 181–22 Mar–4 Apr13–21 Apr28 Apr–19 May30 Mar–12 May3–4 Apr23–25 Apr2–5 Apr2–5 Apr30 Mar–13 Apr
Fifth round84181 → 97–28 Apr–5 May27 Apr–5 May18–26 May27 Apr–18 May20 Mar–25 Apr14–16 May1–2 May27 Apr–22 Jun15–19 May
Sixth round4297 → 55–19–26 May11–26 May12 Jun25 May–5 Jun27 Mar–26 May8–9 Jun29–30 May25 May–29 Jun1–2 Jun
Seventh round2155 → 34–5 Jun2–16 Jun14–23 Jun22 Jun19–20 Jun21–27 Jun14 Jun6–7 Jul22–23 Jun
Play-off round234 → 3213–24 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:
  • First round:
  • Second round:
  • Third round:
  • Fourth round:
  • Fifth round:
  • Sixth round:
  • Seventh round:
  • '''Play-off round:'''

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.
;Notes:

First round

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Second round

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Third round

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Fourth round

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Fifth round

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  • † = After Extra Time

Sixth round

;Notes:
  • † = After Extra Time

Seventh round

;Notes:
  • † = After Extra Time

A-League Men play-offs

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