AUSTRALIA CUP PLAYOFFS TO TAKE PLACE IN MAY
In a significant shift, A-League clubs vying for a spot in the Australia Cup’s round-of-32 will play their playoff games next month, rather than in July, as was the case in previous seasons. The change aims to ensure a more match-hardened and prepared competition, offering clubs a better chance to compete at a higher level.
The playoffs will once again take place at Darwin Football Stadium, with the four bottom teams on the 2024-25 A-League ladder battling it out for the final two spots in the Australia Cup’s round-of-32. The two clubs that will almost certainly finish in the bottom two positions are Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar, who are currently in 12th and 13th place respectively. The other two playoff spots are occupied by the 10th-placed Central Coast Mariners and the 11th-placed Wellington Phoenix, both of whom face an uphill battle to climb out of the bottom four.
This year’s playoff format will see 10th place face 13th and 11th place take on 12th, with the winners earning spots in the Cup’s round-of-32, where the top nine A-League clubs are already automatically qualified. Historically, these playoffs have taken place in July, immediately after teams have started their pre-season training. The late timing in the pre-season often led to a rushed and less-than-ideal preparation for the teams involved.
However, this year, the A-League clubs will face off in the playoffs on May 13 and May 14, just a few weeks after the conclusion of the regular A-League season. The revised timing is expected to lead to better quality football, with clubs entering the games in a more match-fit state, as they will have just wrapped up their competitive season.
Stan Lazaridis, football director of Perth Glory, expressed his approval of the change. “It’s better this way because the games will be of higher quality as the teams will have just finished their A-League seasons and be more prepared,” Lazaridis said. His club, which participated in last year’s July Cup playoffs in Darwin, has faced challenges in the past with the timing. “Players aren’t at the level required in July and it can also be very disruptive in terms of pre-season planning. This way, we will be going into the next A-League pre-season already knowing whether we’re in the Cup, which helps with planning.”
Football Australia CEO James Johnson supported the decision, noting that the choice to hold the playoffs in Darwin was part of a broader strategy to give more regions access to high-quality professional fixtures. “The response from the football community across the Northern Territory has been so pleasing over the last two years and reinforces the strength of football in bringing communities together,” Johnson said. He added that the playoffs provide an invaluable opportunity to connect professional football with grassroots efforts across the region.
Jamie Montieth, CEO of Football Northern Territory, also praised the event’s potential to engage local communities. “The playoffs are a wonderful opportunity for our community to engage with some of the best our national competition has to offer,” Montieth said.
This new scheduling of the playoffs is expected to bring a new dynamic to the competition, as teams will enter the matches well-prepared, potentially raising the overall standard of the games and the excitement surrounding the Australia Cup.
