Image: Clancy Shipsides/Sunraysia Daily
The 2017 Victorian football season will see record numbers participate in the FFA Cup, with the qualifying phase expanded to two rounds as a result of increased interest and participation.
Two factors contributed to the bumper numbers. Given that there are now nine new State League 5 clubs – which are automatically included in the competition – combined with a spike in interest from Regional Affiliate and Metropolitan League Clubs, in total there will be more than 20 additional clubs on 2016 figures.
Therefore, in the Victorian stage of the FFA Cup there will now be two qualifying rounds accompanying the seven regular rounds.
Regions such as Warrnambool, Shepparton, Mildura, Bendigo, La Trobe Valley and Albury-Wodonga will all be represented.
The competition’s expansion regionally extends as far as the Irymple Knights Soccer Club from the Football Federation Sunraysia.
Ballarat regional teams include Ballarat North United, Daylesford and Hepburn United, and Victoria Park, while the Bendigo League sees Epsom SC.
The additional qualifying round takes place on the weekend of Saturday, February 11.
All draws will be live streamed on the FFV Facebook page, starting with the qualifying rounds 1 and 2 draw on Tuesday January 31 from 12:30pm.
NPL clubs enter in the fourth proper round of the tournament.