Football SA Federation Cup

The Football South Australia Federation Cup, more commonly known as the Federation Cup and referred to as the Australia Cup South Australian preliminary rounds until the semi-finals, is an annual knockout cup competition in South Australia by Football South Australia. The competition is the second longest-running cup competition in Australia, only behind the Football West State Cup, founded 8 years earlier.

Football SA Federation Cup
Organising bodyFootball South Australia
FoundedJuly 1907; 117 years ago (1907-07)
RegionSouth Australia
Number of teams46 (2023)
Qualifier forAustralia Cup
Current championsCampbelltown City
(3rd title)
Most successful club(s)Adelaide City (18 titles)
Television broadcastersYouTube (Semi-finals and final only)
WebsiteFootball SA
2024 FSA Federation Cup

The competition includes all clubs from the top three tiers of South Australian soccer, as well as numerous clubs from level four and outside the pyramid.

Since 2014 the Federation Cup has been incorporated as one of the qualification tournaments to determine participants in the national Australia Cup. Adelaide City are the most successful club in the competitions history, winning the competition a total of 18 times, including a run of five in a row from 1969 until 1973.

History

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In July 1907, the Webb-Harris Cup was presented by Messrs. Charles Webb and J Harris as an annual competition with the stipulation that the first team to win the tournament three times would become the outright winners.[1] The first edition consisted of six teams: Cambridge, North Adelaide, Norwood, Port Adelaide, South Adelaide and West Adelaide, and was won by Cambridge, who defeated Hindmarsh 2–0 in the inaugural final.[2] Hindmarsh won the 1908 and 1909 finals, defeating Port Adelaide and Sturt, and Cambridge won the 1910 and 1911 finals, becoming outright winners in the competition's fifth year. After becoming the permanent owners of the trophy, the Cambridge club presented it to the South Australian British Football Association for it to be contested perpetually and to be known as the Cambridge Cup.[3]

From 1926, the cup was presented by Victorian clothing brand Pelaco until 1954, when South Australian tabloid newspaper The Advertiser took over. In 1961, eight clubs broke away from the federation and contested their own version of the cup, known as the Jaxen Cup. Following the reamalgamation of the South Australian Soccer Federation, the cup was renamed as the Federation Cup, and has since has had different sponsors since, including Willis, P.G.H., Dairy Vale, Mutual Community, West End, Best Pavers, Top Corner and Coca-Cola.

Since 2014, the competition has also decided the South Australian representatives in the Australia Cup. Adelaide City qualified for the inaugural season of the competition after defeating rivals West Adelaide 4–1 in the final.[4] Since 2021, the two finalists have qualified for the Australia Cup after South Australia earned a second slot due to an increase in preliminary round participants.[5][6]

Format

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The competition is a single-elimination tournament. Depending on the number of teams that enter the competition, it may begin from various stages. The first round of the competition includes all teams excluding the 11 eligible National Premier Leagues South Australia teams. The teams who are drawn last receive byes to the second round. All teams play from the second round onwards. The semi-final and final are played at a neutral venue, as decided by Football South Australia.

The 2024 competition began from the 2023 Australia Cup third preliminary round, with 52 teams participating, and the 11 eligible National Premier Leagues South Australia teams entering in the following round.[7]

2024 Format
Federation Cup Australia Cup No. of teams
First round Third preliminary round 52
Second round Fourth preliminary round 32
Third round Fifth preliminary round 16
Quarter-finals Sixth preliminary round 8
Semi-finals Seventh preliminary round 4
Final 2

Eligible teams

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All teams that play in Football South Australia sanctioned competition are required to participate. Teams outside of FSA competitions may apply to enter. Adelaide United Youth are ineligible to participate, as youth teams cannot play in the Australia Cup preliminary rounds.

Venues

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All matches are played at the venue of the home team, who is always the team that is drawn first. The semi-finals and final are played on a neutral ground, which since 2022, has been the State Centre for Football. Excluding 2015 and 2021, which used The Parks Football Centre as the neutral venue, the cup final was historically played at Hindmarsh Stadium.

Finals

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No. Year Cup Name Date Winner(s) Score Runner-up Venue[8]
1 1907 Webb-Harris 24 August Cambridge 2–0 Hindmarsh Hindmarsh Oval
2 1908 15 August Hindmarsh 4–1 Port Adelaide Hindmarsh Oval
3 1909 28 August Hindmarsh 4–1 Sturt Hindmarsh Oval
4 1910 8 October Cambridge South Adelaide
5 1911 12 August Cambridge 2–0 Port Adelaide Alberton Oval
6 1912 Cambridge 7 September Adelaide 2–1 Tandanya Jubilee Oval
7 1913 6 September Adelaide 3–0 Hindmarsh Hindmarsh Oval
8 1914 19 September Adelaide 2–1 Hindmarsh Hindmarsh Oval
9 1915 4 September Hindmarsh 4–1 Cheltenham Park 18
1916–18 No competition due to World War I
10 1919 Cambridge 23 August Hindmarsh
Sturt[a]
1–1 Hindmarsh Oval
11 1920 4 September Cheltenham 2–1 South Adelaide Hawthorn Oval
12 1921 17 September South Adelaide 3–2 Cheltenham Hindmarsh Oval
13 1922 16 September Cheltenham 1–0 Sturt Kensington Oval
14 1923 13 October Prospect 2–1 (rep.) South Adelaide Jubilee Oval
15 1924 18 October Holdens United 1–0 (a.e.t.) Prospect Camden Oval
16 1925 19 September West Torrens 3–1 Sturt Jubilee Oval
17 1926 Pelaco 25 September Port Adelaide 2–1 Sturt Jubilee Oval
18 1927 1 October West Torrens 4–3 West Adelaide Hindmarsh Oval
19 1928 15 September West Torrens 2–1 West United Hindmarsh Oval
20 1929 14 September West Torrens 3–2 Railways Mortlock Park
21 1930 13 September Railways 3–2 (a.e.t.) Port Adelaide Hindmarsh Oval
22 1931 3 October Lancashire 4–2 (rep.) Port Adelaide Hindmarsh Oval
23 1932 1 October Lancashire 2–0 Railways Jubilee Oval
24 1933 16 September Port Adelaide 2–1 West Torrens Hart Street Reserve
25 1934 15 September Port Thistle 3–2 West Torrens Hindmarsh Oval
26 1935 14 September Kingswood 4–2 Port Thistle Hindmarsh Oval
27 1936 12 September Sturt 4–2 Port Adelaide Hindmarsh Oval
28 1937 11 September Sturt 3–2 Port Thistle Hindmarsh Oval
29 1938 24 September Birkalla Rovers 2–0 Kingswood Hindmarsh Oval
30 1939 30 September West Torrens 2–0 Birkalla Rovers Hindmarsh Oval
31 1940 28 September West Torrens 5–1 South Adelaide Hindmarsh Oval
32 1941 27 September Sturt 3–1 Birkalla Rovers Hindmarsh Oval
1942 No competition due to World War II
33 1943 Pelaco 25 September Northumberland & Durham 2–1 British Tube Mills Mortlock Park
34 1944 16 September Birkalla Rovers 2–1 Northumberland & Durham Allenby Gardens Reserve
35 1945 29 September Port Adelaide 3–2 Birkalla Rovers Allenby Gardens Reserve
36 1946 28 September West Torrens 4–3 Kingswood Railway Oval
37 1947 11 October Cumberland United 3–2 (a.e.t.) Port Adelaide Rowley Park
1948–49 Not held
38 1950 Pelaco 7 October Birkalla Rovers 4–1 Port Adelaide Mortlock Park
39 1951 29 September Birkalla Rovers 1–0 Juventus Mortlock Park
40 1952 27 September Polonia Adelaide 3–1 Beograd Woodville Norwood Oval
41 1953 3 October Juventus 4–3 Prospect United Alberton Oval
42 1954 9 October Polonia Adelaide 3–1 Juventus Mortlock Park
43 1955 The Advertiser Juventus 2–1 Polonia Adelaide
44 1956 USC Lion 3–2 Cumberland United
45 1957 Juventus 5–1 USC Lion
46 1958 27 September Juventus 1–0 Polonia Adelaide
47 1959 Juventus 1–0 Adelaide Croatia Norwood Oval
48 1960 Adelaide Croatia 4–0 Cumberland United Hindmarsh Stadium
49 1961 The Advertiser (SASFA)
Jaxen (SASL)
7 October (SASFA)
30 September (SASL)
Victoria (SASFA)
USC Lion (SASL)
2–1
3–2
Enfield City (SASFA)
Orange (SASL)
50 1962 Federation Adelaide Croatia 2–1 Burnside Budapest
51 1963 14 September Adelaide Juventus 5–1 West Adelaide Hellas
52 1964 24 October West Adelaide Hellas 6–2 (rep.) Polonia Adelaide
53 1965 25 September Adelaide Juventus 1–0 (a.e.t.) Enfield City Olympic Sports Field
54 1966 24 September Polonia Adelaide 1–0 Victoria Hindmarsh Stadium
55 1967 23 September West Adelaide Hellas 3–0 Adelaide Juventus Hindmarsh Stadium
56 1968 28 September Polonia Adelaide 2–1 (a.e.t.) Adelaide Juventus Hindmarsh Stadium
57 1969 20 September Adelaide Juventus 4–1 USC Lion Hindmarsh Stadium
58 1970 29 August Adelaide Juventus 3–2 West Adelaide Hellas Hindmarsh Stadium
59 1971 18 September Adelaide Juventus 1–0 West Adelaide Hellas Hindmarsh Stadium
60 1972 2 September Adelaide Juventus 2–0 West Adelaide Hellas Hindmarsh Stadium
61 1973 Willis 1 September Adelaide Juventus 1–0 West Adelaide Hellas Hindmarsh Stadium
62 1974 7 September Adelaide Croatia 4–3 Cumberland United Hindmarsh Stadium
63 1975 6 September Polonia Adelaide 2–0 USC Lion Hindmarsh Stadium
64 1976 18 September Adelaide Juventus 4–0 Campbelltown City Hindmarsh Stadium
65 1977 3 September Adelaide Croatia 1–0 Campbelltown Budapest Hindmarsh Stadium
66 1978 Federation 2 September Cumberland United 3–0 Campbelltown Budapest Hindmarsh Stadium
67 1979 9 September Port Adelaide 2–0 Eastern Districts Azzurri Hindmarsh Stadium
68 1980 27 September Beograd Woodville 4–0 Enfield Victoria Hindmarsh Stadium
69 1981 Eastern Districts Azzurri 3–0 Polonia Adelaide Hindmarsh Stadium
70 1982 Adelaide Croatia 2–1 (a.e.t.) Para Hills Hindmarsh Stadium
71 1983 P.G.H. 17 September Beograd Woodville 1–0 Salisbury United Hindmarsh Stadium
72 1984 Eastern Districts Azzurri 2–1 (a.e.t.) Campbelltown City Hindmarsh Stadium
73 1985 7 September Campbelltown City 3–2 (rep.) Cumberland United Hindmarsh Stadium
74 1986 6 September Eastern Districts Azzurri 0–0 (5–4 (p)) Para Hills Hindmarsh Stadium
75 1987 5 September West Torrens Birkalla 1–0 Campbelltown City Hindmarsh Stadium
76 1988 Adelaide Croatia 3–2 Polonia Adelaide Hindmarsh Stadium
77 1989 2 September Modbury Jets 2–0 Para Hills Hindmarsh Stadium
78 1990 31 August Adelaide Croatia 4–2 West Adelaide Hellas Hindmarsh Stadium
79 1991 Adelaide Croatia 1–0 Salisbury United
80 1992 Federation Adelaide Croatia 3–1 Eastern Districts Azzurri
81 1993 White City Woodville 1–0 Olympians
82 1994 Dairy Vale Campbelltown City 3–0 Salisbury United
83 1995 Adelaide Blue Eagles 4–2 (a.e.t.) (rep.) Port Adelaide Lion
84 1996 Mutual Community White City Woodville 3–0 Croydon Kings
85 1997 9 June Adelaide Blue Eagles 2–1 West Torrens Birkalla Thebarton Oval
86 1998 7 June Adelaide Blue Eagles 3–1 Adelaide Raiders
87 1999 West End 17 October West Adelaide 2–1 Elizabeth City Hindmarsh Stadium
88 2000 22 July Croydon Kings 1–1 (7–6 (p)) North Eastern MetroStars Marden Sports Complex
89 2001 1 September Playford City Patriots 3–0 Adelaide Blue Eagles Hindmarsh Stadium
90 2002 26 June Adelaide Galaxy 3–0 Croydon Kings Hindmarsh Stadium
91 2003 Federation 5 July Adelaide Raiders 5–2 North Eastern MetroStars Hindmarsh Stadium
92 2004 2 October North Eastern MetroStars 5–2 Modbury Jets Hindmarsh Stadium
93 2005 20 August White City Woodville 2–1 (a.e.t.) Adelaide Raiders Hindmarsh Stadium
94 2006 24 September Adelaide City 4–1 Adelaide Blue Eagles Hindmarsh Stadium
95 2007 Best Pavers 25 August Adelaide City 1–0 North Eastern MetroStars Hindmarsh Stadium
96 2008 23 August North Eastern MetroStars 1–0 Adelaide City Hindmarsh Stadium
97 2009 Top Corner 15 August Cumberland United 0–0 (5–4 (p)) Campbelltown City Hindmarsh Stadium
98 2010 Federation 21 August Adelaide Blue Eagles 3–2 North Eastern MetroStars Hindmarsh Stadium
99 2011 Coca-Cola 20 August Western Strikers 1–1 (6–5 (p)) Adelaide Blue Eagles Hindmarsh Stadium
100 2012 25 August North Eastern MetroStars 3–1 Para Hills Knights Hindmarsh Stadium
101 2013 10 August Adelaide City 1–1 (5–4 (p) White City Woodville Hindmarsh Stadium
102 2014 31 June Adelaide City 4–1 West Adelaide Hindmarsh Stadium
103 2015 Federation 28 June Croydon Kings 2–0 Adelaide City The Parks Football Centre
104 2016 25 June North Eastern MetroStars 1–0 Adelaide Comets Hindmarsh Stadium
105 2017 24 June North Eastern MetroStars 2–0 Adelaide City Hindmarsh Stadium
106 2018 11 June Adelaide Comets 2–1 Croydon Kings Hindmarsh Stadium
107 2019 22 June Adelaide Olympic 3–2 Adelaide City Hindmarsh Stadium
2020 Not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia[9]
108 2021 Federation 14 July Adelaide Olympic 2–1 Adelaide City The Parks Football Centre
109 2022 16 July Adelaide City 5–0 Modbury Jets State Centre for Football
110 2023 24 June North Eastern MetroStars 3–2 (a.e.t.) Campbelltown City State Centre for Football
111 2024 6 July Campbelltown City 3–0 Modbury Jets State Centre for Football
  1. ^ Hindmarsh and Sturt shared the cup in 1919, with both teams holding it for 6 months each, as they were unable to organise a replay.

Statistics

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Teams

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Most successful teams
Rank Team Wins Last
1 Adelaide City 18 2022
2 Adelaide Croatia Raiders 10 2003
3 Adelaide Blue Eagles 7 2010
West Torrens 1946
5 Croydon FC 6 2015
North Eastern MetroStars 2023
West Torrens Birkalla 2002
8 FK Beograd 5 2005
9 Hindmarsh 4 1919
Port Adelaide Pirates 1979
Sturt-Orange 1941
Most finals appearances
Rank Team Apps Last
1 Adelaide City 27 2022
2 Croydon FC 15 2018
3 Adelaide Croatia Raiders 13 2005
4 Adelaide Blue Eagles 12 2011
Port Adelaide Pirates 1995
6 Campbelltown City 10 2024
North Eastern MetroStars 2023
West Adelaide 2014
West Torrens Birkalla 2002
10 Sturt-Orange 9 1941

Venue

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Finals hosted
Rank Venue No. Last
1 Hindmarsh Stadium[a] 64 2019
2 Jubilee Oval 5 1932
Mortlock Park 5 1954
4 State Centre for Football 3 2024
5 Alberton Oval 2 1953
Allenby Gardens Reserve 2 1945
Norwood Oval 2 1959
Olympic Sports Field[b] 2 1965
The Parks Football Centre 2 2021
Unknown 16
  1. ^ Includes Hindmarsh Oval.
  2. ^ Includes Kensington Oval.

References

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  1. ^ "The Observer, Adelaide". The Advertiser. 27 July 1907.
  2. ^ "South Australia Webb-Harris Cup 1907 – Results". Socceraust. Archived from the original on 10 March 2022.
  3. ^ Harlow, Denis (2003). History of Soccer in South Australia. pp. 4–5. ISBN 0975060902.
  4. ^ "Adelaide City claim 2014 Coca-Cola Federation Cup Final". Gameday. Football South Australia. 31 May 2014. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Football South Australia secure a second FFA Cup spot". Football South Australia. 17 December 2019. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019.
  6. ^ "FFA Cup 2020 preliminary rounds to commence this weekend alongside regular live streaming initiative". Australia Cup. 14 February 2020. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020.
  7. ^ "Last chance to enter the 2024 Australia Cup South Australian Preliminary Rounds". Football South Australia. 15 January 2024.
  8. ^ Peppas, Dimitri (15 October 2023). "South Australian Football Honours". Internet Archive.
  9. ^ "Coronavirus forces FFA Cup to be cancelled". The World Game. SBS. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.