Australia Cup - Other Australian games

I put most of this in the other thread, but it seems like the discussion is here.
From my point of view I enjoyed the cup games and going out into the countryside. And we got to see the boys coming through and it was a good way to get some team cohesion in a genuinely competitive game. We had some iconic club moments from Pennington, Paulsen, Loke, Sotirio and Fenton. 

I also think that there’s got to be some dodgy accountancy somewhere if these teams are now playing their league and cups, the Championship and the Australian Cup. That’s full time football, not amateur stuff. 

On the Aussie side of things, I guess it works on a bit of tub thumping. However it also excludes Lachy Brook, Girdwood-Reich, Hall and Brimmer who are top drawer Aussie players. It also excludes Corica, who though he’ll always be a villain to me has been one of the top Aussie coaches in recent memory. 

Anyway most of this is nostalgia, but there’s a reason you hear the phrase the ‘romance of the cup.’ I think we’re worse off and Aussie is fine. Just sucks to be us I guess. 

theprof

YoungHeartHM

Not the biggest loss in the world this to be honest. I would love to see a Canadian Championship type competition be introduced here in it's absence though. 

Wellington, Auckland, National League winners, Chatham Cup winners (or runners up if its the same team that does the double). I would say SIU too, but they'll be out of OFC Pro League season and the players will be back with their winter clubs.

Something of that nature anyway. Take games to the smaller grounds around the place too and drive some of that sweet, sweet community growth in and around the game too.

biggest advantage of this kind of scenario is that the games are played locally, so we get to see our team in preseason in the flesh in a "proper" tourney.

Yep 100%

I'm sick of waiting on pre season results from behind closed doors fixtures/friendlies in Australia, only for the Aussie club to then do the match report a day later and completely glaze their own team, regardless of the actual result.

Would be nice if the Nix and AFC could work together on a four team pre season tournament in the off season bringing a couple of decent teams here.

I mean if you look at the Nix’s previous go at exhibition games against the likes of LA Galaxy, Wrexham, West Ham, Newcastle etc, it always seems to work crowd wise.

No reason why it can’t in Auckland as well.

The Nix or AFC would still need to undertake pre season tours of Aussie, playing some ALM clubs in valuable (likely closed door) warmups. Say Sept-Oct close to the traditional ALM start date.

Playing Welly Olympic and Auckland City (perhaps majorly weakened from 2025) - even with a trophy at state - ain't alone gonna be sufficient prep for season 2026/27.

AucklandPhoenix

Would be nice if the Nix and AFC could work together on a four team pre season tournament in the off season bringing a couple of decent teams here.

I mean if you look at the Nix’s previous go at exhibition games against the likes of LA Galaxy, Wrexham, West Ham, Newcastle etc, it always seems to work crowd wise.

No reason why it can’t in Auckland as well.

You'd think Foley has the cash to make this happen. Remember the angst from AFC fans when it was announced Wrexham were playing the Nix, but not the Estonians. 
Nick Becker certainly remembers.  

Football might even be on a bit of a high in NZ come July-August post the World Cup, depending on how the All Whites go.

And yeah I think taking Bournemouth or Hibs for a game to nice shiny, roofed Te Kaha in the NZ winter, not the worst idea.

The success of Wrexham (basically a team of UK unknowns down under) ROF game, should yes give both the Nix and AFC confidence, any little 4 team tourney should at least go close to being break even.

I mean might as well put it out there, is it worth considering having the Nix, AFC and SUI all automatically qualify for the Chatham Cup?

I'm not fond of the idea since it means our local clubs will never win it again as long as these clubs are around, but at the same time basically every other national KO cup in the world mixes amateur and professional football clubs. Stick the three of us in the ro32 and that's up to 5 more games we get to play each season. Not sure how it would work for SUI though.

Doloras

20 Legend

So what is the actual rationale given?

I understand if it was costing the FFA boat loads of money.

But I question a league that willing says "you know what, we want 5 million less people in our potential market."

 Alignment with AFC requirements

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2026/01/28/auckland-fc-and-phoenix-to-be-excluded-from-this-years-australia-cup/

A report in Neoskosmos says: “It is believed that the changes come with a view of aligning with requirements from the Asian Football Confederation, wherein the winner of the competition qualifies for the AFC Champions League Two.

Domey doesn’t sound that disappointed. Whilst Becker criticises FA’s organisation sills

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360931096/auckland-fc-and-wellington-phoenix-axed-australia-cup

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2026/01/29/auckland-fc-and-phoenix-see-upside-in-their-removal-from-australia-cup/

Auckland FC chief executive Nick Becker told News.com.au: “As a club. we are disappointed because it means that we won’t be going after a trophy, but on the flip side, it’s a competition that cost us money, (and) is badly organised.

“We had games moved at the last minute for pretty basic reasons last year.

“Not being part of it will allow us to properly organise our pre-season.”

Phoenix general manager David Dome told News.com.au: “We have fond memories of our time in the competition over the past 12 years, but it was an extremely costly exercise having to travel to all corners of Australia for each round as we weren’t allowed to host a Cup match.”

Last season, the Phoenix had to play ties in Darwin and Melbourne.

“This change will give us more certainty as we plan our men’s pre-season fixtures each year.”

coochiee

Doloras

20 Legend

So what is the actual rationale given?

I understand if it was costing the FFA boat loads of money.

But I question a league that willing says "you know what, we want 5 million less people in our potential market."

 Alignment with AFC requirements

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2026/01/28/auckland-fc-and-phoenix-to-be-excluded-from-this-years-australia-cup/

A report in Neoskosmos says: “It is believed that the changes come with a view of aligning with requirements from the Asian Football Confederation, wherein the winner of the competition qualifies for the AFC Champions League Two.

Auckland and Wellington have never been able to qualify for an AFC competition through the A-League or the Cup due to New Zealand being part of the Oceania Football Confederation.”

tthat hasn't been an issue before, Macarthur are in afc champ 2 from winning the aus cup in 2024

So its not new, what has changed? 

Perhaps AFC have just told Football Australia, that going forward only the Australia Cup winners get that spot in AFC Champions League Two (CL2).

If one of the NZ teams win the Australia Cup, that CL2 spot gets given to some other club from an AFC member??

Like Persib from Indonesia, had to beat Manila Digger from the Philippines in a qualifying playoff to make this season's CL2 proper. A NZ club wins last season's Australia Cup, you just have those 2 AFC clubs both go automatically into the CL2 proper??

I mean the A League has a lowly 10th ranking in the AFC league coefficients.
Lower than the Thai league and Uzbekistan. You could see an ALM club losing a spot in one of the AFC comps easily enough.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFC_club_competitions_ranking

If you take Football Australia at their word, it's likely some issue like that.

All a bit moot, as neither the Nix or AFC seem too fussed on this announcement.

coochiee

Perhaps AFC have just told Football Australia, that going forward only the Australia Cup winners get that spot in AFC Champions League Two (CL2).

If one of the NZ teams win the Australia Cup, that CL2 spot gets given to some other club from an AFC member??

Like Persib from Indonesia, had to beat Manila Digger from the Philippines in a qualifying playoff to make this season's CL2 proper. A NZ club wins last season's Australia Cup, you just have those 2 AFC clubs both go automatically into the CL2 proper??

I mean the A League has a lowly 10th ranking in the AFC league coefficients.
Lower than the Thai league and Uzbekistan. You could see an ALM club losing a spot in one of the AFC comps easily enough.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFC_club_competitions_ranking

If you take Football Australia at their word, it's likely some issue like that.

All a bit moot, as neither the Nix or AFC seem too fussed on this announcement.

I think the highest finishing aus team that's always stood in both the cup and league doesn't invalidate participation in afc. If a team wins the cup and finishes first in the league, the highest finishing team in the cup or possibly the next highest aus team in the league will get acl2 qualification spot - so not the winner and forfeited to another country

Noah4thenix

I mean might as well put it out there, is it worth considering having the Nix, AFC and SUI all automatically qualify for the Chatham Cup?

I'm not fond of the idea since it means our local clubs will never win it again as long as these clubs are around, but at the same time basically every other national KO cup in the world mixes amateur and professional football clubs. Stick the three of us in the ro32 and that's up to 5 more games we get to play each season. Not sure how it would work for SUI though.

A-FC and Nix in the Chatham Cup could work with some sort of a limitation on who the ALM clubs could field, for example maybe just the reserves, or just the under 21s, or limited number of over-21s, etc?  Not very practical but could be refined.

or kick South Melbourne out of the OFC pro league and put the Nix in, like it always should have been.

theprof

or kick South Melbourne out of the OFC pro league and put the Nix in, like it always should have been.

You'd have to think that olive branch from OFC to FA has blown up in OFC's face with this decision.

I can't help but feel this is FA playing to the Aussie crowd who keep calling for a second national pro division, even though it will never work, especially given the current health of a number of pro clubs over there.