Vote on the new Mitre Westfield FFA Cup ball

This year’s Westfield FFA Cup will have a distinct difference with leading sports equipment brand Mitre® announced as the ‘Official Ball Supplier’ of the competition for the next three years.

From this year the Westfield FFA Cup balls will use the Delta Hyperseam, the most technologically advanced football Mitre® has ever produced.

Vote now on your favourite design

One popular element of last year’s ball that will carry over to the new look is the names of every club competing in the Westfield FFA Cup 2017.

Fans can cast their vote on their favourite colour scheme out of three options via the official Westfield FFA Cup Facebook page.

Design 1 – a traditional creative highlighting the official Westfield FFA Cup Gun Metal Grey (LIKE)

FFA Cup Ball A

Design 2 – a two-tone scheme combining the official Westfield FFA Cup Metal Grey with a contrasting pop of red (LOVE)

FFA Cup Ball B

Design 3 – a design that creates an energetic mix of bright and vibrant colours (WOW)

FFA Cup Ball C

Jon Godden, Brand Director for Mitre commented, “Mitre are very proud to be the new official ball supplier to Australia’s prestigious FFA Cup. We are delighted to be providing leading innovation through our Delta Hyperseam football to teams and players throughout this special tournament.”

Mitre® Australia Sales Manager Nathan Collins was eagerly anticipating the new partnership with Football Federation Australia. “The FFA Cup has truly captured Australia’s imagination and creates fantastic opportunities for footballers at different tiers to perform on the big stage.”

"Together with FFA, we look forward to continuing our shared passion for the game and, through the Delta Hyperseam football, will continue to provide the teams with the very latest football technology. We have no doubt the Delta Hyperseam will provide exciting match play to be enjoyed by players and fans alike.”

Greg Cowan, Head of International Business Development added, “It is a great privilege to have Mitre as the official ball supplier to the FFA Cup of Australia. As the Head of International Business Development for the brand and a proud Australian, I am delighted that we are exporting the best balls to this fantastic tournament.”

Voting is open now and will close on Sunday 5 February so don’t miss your chance to have your say on the colours of the new Mitre® Westfield FFA Cup ball.

The new Mitre® ball and most popular choice will be unveiled on Monday 6 February prior to the commencement of the Preliminary Rounds.

The new Delta Hyperseam ball will be used throughout the Westfield FFA Cup Final Rounds and selected Preliminary Round matches.

Mitre® is the world’s oldest sports brand with over 200 years of heritage supplying high quality match balls to some of the biggest football competitions around the world.

http://www.theffacup.com.au/article/vote-on-the-new-mitre-westfield-ffa-cup-ball/uexqqyhkzcxy1pcmgb0gvdryl

They all look the same tbf

NNSW (northern and southern zone) first round draw at 1:30pm today, will update with the match ups.

Southern Zone

Westlakes FC vs Hamilton Azzurri
Dudley Redhead vs Mayfield United JFC
Hunter Simba FC vs Maryland Fletcher FC
Beresfield United SFC vs Warners Bay FC
Jesmond FC vs Kotara FC
Dudley Redhead Senior FC vs Garden Suburbs FC
Barnsley Bulldogs FC vs Newcastle Uni
Beresfield FC vs Newcastle Suns
Mayfield United Senior vs Morrisett United FC 
Charlestown JFC vs Cardiff City FC
Argenton United JFC vs Merewether Advance
Bolwarra Lorn JSC vs Edgeworth JSC
Muswellbrook FC vs Swansa FC
Raymond Terrace SC vs Nelson Bay FC
Stockton Shark BYE

Northern Zone

Lennox Head FC vs Bangalow FC
Tintenbar FC vs Italio Stars FC
Ashtonville FC vs Ballina FC
Wauchope SC vs Macleay Valley Rangers
Wallis Lake vs Taree Wildcats
Tuncurry Forster FC vs Kempsey Saints FC
Westlawn Tigers vs Urunga Raiders
Coffs Coast Tigers FC vs Northern Storm Thunder
Coffs City United Lions vs Grafton United FC
Orara Valley FC vs Maclean FC
Boambee FC vs Sawtell Scorpions FC
Demon Knights FC vs TAS Armidale
Norths Companion FC vs South Armidale FC
Quirindi FC vs Norths United FC
Port Saints FC BYE

Big away trip across the state for Ballarat North United!

Phillip Island to Myrtleford is almost a 5 hour trip lol

Warnambool Rangers away Irymple Knights from Mildura, that's about six hours. The winner of that also gets to play at home against Bunyip District, who are on the other side of Melbourne, on the road to the La Trobe Valley.

FFA Cup captures attention like no other

Dream big: The FFA Cup allows clubs such as Oxley Vale Attunga the opportunity for a possible match-up against Melbourne Victory or Sydney FC.
Dream big: The FFA Cup allows clubs such as Oxley Vale Attunga the opportunity for a possible match-up against Melbourne Victory or Sydney FC.

The ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi is credited with the proverb that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

Now he did not know it at the time, but those 10 words provide foundation to the essence of the FFA Cup.

Australia's premier knockout soccer competition may have the names of A-League clubs as its champions right now, but the true heartbeat of the Cup lies in the smaller clubs taking on the big boys.

Clubs such as Victorian outfits Bentleigh Greens and Hume City, who reached the last four in the opening two editions.

Last year it was Canberra Olympic who delivered a fairytale story even Cinderella would have been proud of.

Olympic, with their goalscoring goalkeeper Angelo Konstantinou, produced a series of outstanding results which culminated with a semi-final appearance against Sydney FC.

Anyone who saw it will never forget when he stepped up in the 96th minute on a cool Canberra night to strike home the winning penalty against Green Gully, sparking pandemonium.

Angelo Konstantinou
Angelo Konstantinou

Moments like that are what club players and coaches dream of.

Since its inception in 2014, the amount of teams playing in the FFA Cup grew from 631 to 704 (last year).

That figure is growing again this year and includes eight clubs in our region, who are embarking on their own journey.

How does Quirindi FC against Sydney FC sound? Or Western Sydney Wanderers against South Armidale?

Just as good as Oxley Vale Attunga against Melbourne Victory.

Tim Coates, the long-time coach of the Mushies, a powerhouse of the Northern Inland Football scene, briefly allowed himself that thought during an interview with this writer on Wednesday.

"Kevin Muscat and I are similar characters, we don't back down," Coates said.

"Scully Park would be a good venue wouldn't it, we had Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners in a pre-season friendly last year.

"The Cup does pose a challenge in the early stages because our league season doesn't start until April.

"But it you can make it through the preliminary rounds in the Northern NSW section, the opportunities open up when the NPL and A-League sides come into the draw."

The beauty of the FFA Cup is that it delivers stories such as Canberra Olympic or Redlands United, who stunned defending A-League champions Adelaide United in a midweek tie on a suburban pitch.

It will do so again and hopefully this year is the one where a NIPL side can provide headlines, both close and far from home.

http://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/story/4439933/nothing-beats-the-magic-of-the-ffa-cup/

Can we please stop calling the journey of the team that makes the semis without having to face A-League opposition a fairytale?

Peev is back in the cup baybay

Romaaaaaaaance.

Up the Park!

Very excited for my team (Deakin Ducks) to be making their debut in the FFA Cup - away trip to Brighton first up!

Ha! I'm just kind of bemused that my old junior team, Epsom FC (from the Bendigo league) is anywhere near the cup.

Ohhh Ok now i get it. Affiliation with the eastern wastelands. Got it.

Thats a surprising sentiment .

These ostracized clubs get to play A-League opposition in a meaningful competition,  thats the fairytale.

Surely you couldve better expressed yourself via a signature grassroots hate vid.

Nah, Gully fucking up CCM and Redlands taking out Adelaide are the fairytales.

Showing up just to get walloped doesn't really count.

It does when youre an ostracized club.  

You should look up ostracized and get back to me.

And look up the benefits of ostracized clubs participating in a national cup comp, while your country doesnt have the competence to establish a national div2, while youre at it..

Really good to see increased participation, hopefully it continues to build in the years to come. The cup is honestly the best thing to happen in domestic football since the A-League itself!

Anyone know if there is a schedule of the SA qualifying games in the Federation Cup? As in when the dates are scheduled for the SA teams.

shouldn't this thread stay where it is until round of 32.

We have an awesome thread in the state leagues for the qualification rounds.

My bad, don't venture into the state league section very often but will check it out!

I think it's good in here to be honest. It keeps people in touch with state league teams that normally wouldn't seek it out. 

Then we have two threads doing the same thing. It's silly

Yep, I was there freezing my arse off to watch Green Gully take out CCM, it was a great night.

More of this, and less of the inorganic fixturing that taints the #romance.

***UPDATE***

The number for the 2017 participating teams are as follows. As 2016 was a record breaking year, 2017 is looking to be even bigger. (Credit: Brenton)

A-League: 10 teams
ACT: waiting from Capital Football
New South Wales: 148 teams (increase of 18)
Northern New South Wales: 83 teams (increase of 2)
Northern Territory: waiting from Football Federation Northern Territory
Queensland: 113 teams waiting for numbers for Sunshine Coast Football (requires the same number as last year to equal although it is forecast to be an increase)
South Australia: 42 teams (increase of 3)
Tasmania: 20 teams (increase of 1)
Victoria: 217 teams (increase of 15)
Western Australia: 58 teams (decrease of 7)
NPL Champion: 1 team 

Overall as of 26/02/2017 we are at an increase of 39 participating clubs with more still to come.

#3YearsTops #CornerShop

Vamos

Lel

703 clubs with still two member federations left ACT & NT.

We were at 704 at the end of last year. 

#scenes

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/the-long-road-to-ffa-cup-glory-starts-with-small-steps-20170303-gupvtj.html

3 years tops

-PB