10-year milestone of Australia Cup achieved with ongoing benefits for semi-professionals

The Australia Cup is the nation’s premier knockout cup competition which has reached its 10th year of existence.

The competition was founded as the Football Federation Australia (FFA) Cup and has been won by five different clubs, with nine unique sides appearing in its respective finals down the years.

Knockout cup football before the reintroduction of it was something which remained an unappreciated element of Australian football with the first attempt of sustaining a competition occurring back in the 1960s with the Australia Cup – the first and only national club knockout competition which was held from 1962 until 1968.

The FFA Cup was ultimately renamed to the Australia Cup in 2022, suiting as a more fitting title for what has become an important piece of silverware within Australian football.

The competition has contributed immensely to the sport in a variety of aspects. Semi-professional clubs across the country have the opportunity to compete against the nation’s best upon their entry in the round of 32, providing spectators with the possibility of witnessing a David and Goliath like matchup. The ‘cupsets’ provide a sense of urgent, frantic football in which fans are jubilant to receive.

Those at the business end of the competition are recipients of prize money, with the winners claiming a cheque worth $131,000. As of 2021, competition winners are placed into continental football play-offs within Asia. Due to the consistent restructure of Asian continental club football, winners of the Australia Cup from 2021 were eligible to qualify for the Asian Champions League via a playoff position, in 2022 the AFC Cup playoffs were up for grabs, with the latter to be changed to the third instalment of Asian football being the newly founded tournament, the AFC Champions League 2.

10 years of cup magic within Australian football has complimented the competitiveness across the sport. The mind races back to all the ‘cupsets’ witnessed throughout the years including the notorious Green Gully victory over the Central Coast Mariners in 2015 where Liam Boland scored from his own half. Not to mention in more recent history, in the cup run Sydney United 58 had gone on.

For lower-ranked clubs across the nation to have the opportunity to compete with professional established clubs has not only provided fans with nostalgic moments, but has opened the another gateway into competing across the continent. The Cup has established itself amongst a trophy of significance in that has also acted as an attraction for international marquee players to venture to Australia from overseas, knowing there’s now three different titles within the sport they can compete for.

The more frequency of football – combined with the magic of the cup – will only serve to open more financial and beneficial opportunities within the sport across the nation.

Based upon its first decade, it’s safe to say its presence has been palpable.

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Driving Health Forward: Melbourne Victory partners with Hydrodol

Melbourne Victory has celebrated a new partnership with Australian wellness brand, Hydrodol. The deal will see both parties collaborate for the rest of the 2024/25 A-Leagues season.

Hydrodol is a significant supplements provider across Australia, New Zealand the Asia Pacific, supplying customers with cutting edge products tailored to assist with hydration and a range of other health concerns.

Together, Melbourne Victory and Hydrodol will join their philosophies of driving health and fitness forward in order to bring attention to healthy living practices among the Australian football community.

Melbourne Victory Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, expressed admiration for the partnership.

“We are delighted to welcome Hydrodol to the Melbourne Victory family,” she said in a press release.

“This partnership reflects a shared vision of supporting individuals to perform at their best whether they’re on the pitch, in the stands, or in their daily lives. Together, we aim to provide meaningful benefits to our fans, players, and the broader Victory community.”

Hydrodol Marketing Manager, Jenn Leung, echoed Carnegie’s applause.

‘Hydrodol is passionate about empowering people to feel their best, whether they’re elite athletes or everyday Australians,” she said via press release.

“Partnering with Melbourne Victory, Australia’s biggest football club allows us to connect with a vibrant community that values health, performance, and well-being.”

Melbourne Victory Director of Football, John Didulica, outlined the significance of the club’s collaboration with Hydrodol in a press release.

“To lead successful football programs, it is essential that we look to partner with companies like Hydrodol, who can help maintain and improve our players’ recovery from the demands of professional football and readiness to compete each week,” he said via press release.

For the remaining games of the 2024/25 season, fans and spectators will be able to see Hydrodol advertisement material at the Home of the Matilda’s and AAMI Park, as both Melbourne Victory and Hydrodol work to bolster the health and wellbeing of the community.

FIFA set new global benchmark for Women’s Football Development

In a landmark initiative for women’s football, FIFA has unveiled an ambitious strategy aimed at reaching 60 million female players worldwide by 2027.

The comprehensive plan, supported by 13 distinct development programmes, is available to all 211 FIFA Member Associations, marking a significant step forward in the sport’s global evolution.

FIFA also took the announcement to highlight the achievements for women’s football in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Oceanic Football Confederation (OFC).

The recently enhanced FIFA Women’s Development Programme underscores the organisation’s strengthened commitment to expanding the women’s game.

The upcoming 2025 calendar promises several groundbreaking developments for women’s football.

The Philippines will host the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup, while Morocco makes history as the first African nation to stage the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The latter tournament sees significant expansion, growing from 16 to 24 teams and shifting to an annual format.

International competition reaches new heights with continental championships scheduled across multiple confederations.

The pathway to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 commences with African qualification matches, while major regional tournaments including the UEFA Women’s EURO and OFC Women’s Nations Cup will crown new champions.

In a significant advancement for club football, all six confederations will host their respective continental club championships for the first time.

This renewed focus comes amid unprecedented growth in participation rates, particularly evident in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup co-host nations.

New Zealand has reported a remarkable 27 per cent surge in female participation since 2022, with particularly strong growth among Māori and Pasifika communities, showing a 14 per cent increase.

A strategic partnership between New Zealand Football and Māori Football Aotearoa further strengthens grassroots development.

New Zealand Football CEO Andrew Pragnell voiced the federations successful results.

“The expansion of football and futsal in Aotearoa New Zealand has been extraordinary, with the Women’s World Cup serving as a genuine catalyst for growth,” he explained via official FIFA press release.

Across the Tasman, Football Australia’s Growing Football Fund Community Grants programme continues to foster development at the grassroots level.

The latest round of funding benefits 118 recipients, complementing the 121 projects supported in March 2024.

This initiative particularly emphasises regional development, with nearly half the grants allocated to areas outside major metropolitan centres.

The grants provide essential support for women’s football development, encompassing coach education, introductory programmes, and vital equipment procurement, further cementing the sport’s foundation at the community level.

Also within the AFC, footballing powerhouse Japan has successfully hosted the continent’s first female-exclusive Pro Licence coaching course.

A collaborative effort between FIFA, AFC, and the Japan Football Association (JFA), represents a significant milestone in professional football development.

The intensive seven-day course attracted participants from fourteen nations, featuring presents such as AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh and Japan men’s national team coach Hajime Moriyasu.

Participants gained valuable practical experience through observations of pre-season training sessions at both J.League and Nadeshiko League clubs.

JFA Technical Director Masanaga Kageyama emphasised the programme’s strategic importance and inclusivity.

“This course is a joint AFC/JFA initiative to increase the number of top-level, professionally licensed female coaches in Asia. It aims to provide existing talents with additional advice to help them achieve greater success in their current coaching positions and secure future success,” Kageyama explained via official FIFA press release.

This initiative aligns with JFA’s renowned long-term development philosophy and a significant advancement in creating pathways for women in professional football coaching.

This newly improved strategy at the global scale will hopefully allow for more women in both professional and amateur spaces to get the opportunities they deserve in football.

It also highlight’s that AFC & OFC nations, including Australia, will have a strong place within the growth of women’s football.

Read more on the FIFA Women’s Development Program here.

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