Australian football fans set for festive treat as FFA Cup will have seven games in eight days

The Aussie football calendar has had new dates circled following Football Australia’s major announcement about the next stage of the FFA Cup.

There will be seven FFA Cup games in eight days to kick off December. Picture: Cameron Spencer / Getty Images

Australian football fans are set for a festive treat, with Football Australia announcing a blockbuster run of ties for the FFA Cup, with seven games to be played across the first eight days of December.

The national knockout tournament is still at two different stages, with four ties at the round of 16 part of the tournament and three in the round of 32 as all venues, dates and kick-off times were locked in for the bumper football feast.

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Only two A-League Men’s outfits have been eliminated from the competition – Western United and the Newcastle Jets – albeit they exited via the play-offs.

NPL teams Hume City and Wollongong Wolves have the tall task of causing a cup upset against the more fancied Melbourne City and Central Coast Mariners respectively if they want to progress to the next stage of the tournament.

Melbourne Victory booked its spot in the round of 16 after a penalty shootout win over a youthful Perth Glory side. Picture: Kelly Barnes / Getty Images

The fixture between ACT club Tigers FC and NPL powerhouse APIA Leichhardt, which was originally scheduled to be played on Wednesday but was postponed due to a Covid-related matter, has also been rescheduled, with the winner to take on the Western Sydney Wanderers just five days later.

Tigers FC and APIA will face off at Seiffert Oval in Queanbeyan.

Sydney FC booked its spot in the round of 16 against Macarthur after avoiding a major banana skin of a result against Sydney Olympic on Wednesday night.

The Sky Blues found themselves a goal behind on the half-hour mark when Olympic star Adam Parkhouse’s deflected strike looped over Andrew Redmayne in goal, but Sydney showed why they’re a class above as they hit back and emerged 4-2 winners.

Melbourne Victory also came away from its round of 32 tie with a narrow victory, squeezing past a very youthful Perth Glory side via a penalty shootout.

Western United will take on fellow A-League Men’s club Wellington in a mouth-watering round of 32 tie after winning a playoff against the Newcastle Jets, with the match to be held at GMHBA stadium in Geelong.

With two matches pitting A-League Men’s teams against each other, it provides a major opportunity to narrow the pool of heavyweight teams down as an NPL side looks to create its own Cinderella run.

FFA Cup Fixtures

December 1 – Wollongong Wolves v Central Coast Mariners, Round of 16, WIN Stadium, 7.30pm (AEDT)

December 1 – Hume City v Melbourne City, Round of 16, ABD Stadium, 7.30pm (AEDT)

December 1 – Adelaide City FC v Melbourne Victory, Round of 32, Marden Sports Complex, 8pm (AEDT)

December 2 – Tigers FC v APIA Leichhardt, Round of 32, Seiffert Oval, 7.30pm (AEDT)

December 7 – Western United v Wellington Phoenix, Round of 32, GMHBA Stadium, 7.30pm (AEDT)

December 7 – Tigers FC/APIA v Western Sydney Wanderers, Round of 16, TBC

December 8 – Sydney FC v Macarthur FC, Round of 16, Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, 7.30pm (AEDT)