With around 650 clubs around Australia having already begun their FFA Cup preliminary rounds, Football Federation Australia (FFA) has announced it will make the competition fairer for the semi-professional and grassroots clubs.

Match scheduling has been condensed from last year, with a round of 32 matches played across three weeks instead of four and the quarter-finals played before the start of the 2015/16 A-League season.

Victorian NPL club Bentleigh Greens, who made it to the semi-finals of the competition, felt like they were unfairly disadvantaged as they were still playing eight weeks out of their season against A-League clubs that were just starting up their season.

“The grassroots clubs will be more match-fit because it’s closer to their season as it allows for a bit more space around the A-League pre-season,” FFA CEO David Gallop said at the Cup launch last week.

The final of the Cup will also be moved to November 7, a Saturday night, and no A-League matches will be scheduled on that weekend, giving the FFA Cup more prominence.

Adelaide United became the first team to win the Cup last year, beating Perth Glory 1-0, but did so on a Tuesday evening, sandwiched in between a full A-League round.

Source: ABC, news.com.au