The 2015 FFA Cup Draw Has Been Revealed

GAME ON, EVERYONE.

The wildly successful, nationwide knockout tournament – the FFA Cup – is returning in 2015 after its inaugural outing in 2014. The competition combines the elite level national A-League competition, as well as lower tier footballing clubs into one giant knockout competition – similar in conception to the English FA Cup.

The 2015 draw for the competition was conducted this afternoon at Fox Sports headquarters, with the Final 32 teams separated into three drawing pools. The 4 A-League semi-finalists in Pool A, the remaining 6 A-League sides in Pool B, and the 22 qualifying Member Federation Clubs from state leagues across Australia in Pool C.

The draw for Match Day 1 is geared towards promoting grass roots revenue, with the four A-League semi-finalists drawn as away teams against Pool C sides. The 6 A-League sides in Pool B are drawn against each other, and the remaining Pool C sides make up the rest of the matches.

This year’s draw itself threw up a couple of surprises – chiefly the drawing of tournament debutants Darwin Olympic against last year’s FFA Cup champions Adelaide United. The Balmain Tigers of the NSW Waratah Cup managed to draw the current A-League champion Melbourne Victory, in another seemingly David vs Goliath encounter.

But the competition itself is geared towards the underdog and upsets, with last year’s boilover that saw Adelaide City topple Western Sydney Wanderers in the Round of 32 a prime example.

Match Day 1 of the 2015 FFA Cup will take place on the 28th and 29th of July. All venues and specific dates are yet to be determined, but for the moment, the draw looks like this.

At the risk of showing this particular writer’s true Apple Isle colours, GLORY GLORY TO SOUTH HOOOOOOOBART.