South Australia anticipates a captivating Australia Cup Round of 32
- Antonis Pagonis
- 5 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Australia Cup Round of 32 draws are always a peculiar clash of hopes, expectations, and excitement.
Adelaide United, Cumberland United, and FK Beograd have all received significant matchups for unique reasons, piquing the interest of the South Australian football community.
Old Soccer vs New Football
On the night of the draw, A-League teams hope for a solid first hit-out to dust off the cobwebs.
NPL players have their fingers crossed for an away day, while their coaches and club personnel bite their tongues about their preference for a home fixture, given factors such as preparation, rest, and the tangible and intangible benefits of hosting a nationally broadcast home game.
It is impossible for everyone to get their way, with some stakeholders happier than others, but the 2026 Australia Cup Round of 32 draw delivered something for all three South Australian clubs participating, fulfilling their appetites.
When an A-League club draws an NPL club, the contrast in status is usually quite evident. That is clearly not the case in the fascinating draw between Adelaide United and South Melbourne.
Anyone involved with Hellas will quickly remind you of their achievements, be it old, such as the Oceania Club of the Century, new, like the inaugural Australian Championship title, or seismic, developing Ange Postecoglou the player and, most importantly, the coach.
Adelaide United also carries its own achievements proudly, with an A-League crown, three Australia Cup trophies, and proud runs in continental football, a stage the Reds are returning to after just under a decade’s absence.
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The history of Australian football adds another interesting wrinkle to this clash.
After Adelaide City and West Adelaide were unable to compete in the final NSL season, Adelaide United’s hasty inception ensured South Australian participation in the competition.
South Melbourne’s 2003/04 NSL season ironically ended at the hands of Adelaide United in the finals series, courtesy of a Richie Alagich penalty in extra time.
The end of the NSL also marked the end of ethnic clubs on the national stage until the introduction of the Australia Cup, which sparked animosity between two distinct identities in the footballing landscape: Old Soccer and New Football.
These two historic sides renew hostilities 12 years later, with Alagich’s son, Ethan, expected to line up against the side his father’s penalty kick eliminated from the national stage.
An encounter 38 years in the making
While the phrase “magic of the cup” can feel cliché or overused at times, you have to admit it is fitting for Cumberland United’s Australia Cup journey so far.
While sitting mid-table in South Australia’s State League One, Cumberland United notably eliminated NPL powerhouse Adelaide City to earn the right to play for Australia Cup Round of 32 qualification, which they ensured in a nail-biting 3-2 win over Adelaide Omonia Cobras.
This meant a return to the national stage for coach Phil Stubbins, who last coached at that level with the Newcastle Jets in 2014.
Since then, Stubbins has had a range of jobs in South Australian football, but his first foray in Australia was in Victoria.
Stubbins' association with Australian football began with Heidelberg United, a club which changed the trajectory of his life 38 years ago by giving him the opportunity to move from England to Australia to pursue his football dream.
Stubbins repaid the faith, playing over 200 games for the club across two stints before coaching them to a State League championship in 2004 and to a Victorian Premier League Grand Final in their first year after promotion in 2005.
The affection still runs deep between Stubbins and Heideleberg, with the club legend invited as a guest of honour and to toss the coin in their Australian Championship clash against MetroStars in 2025.
Little did Stubbins know that under a year later, not only would he lead his Cumberland United side to an inaugural Australia Cup Round of 32 appearance, but that it would come against the club that means so much to him.
The Foxes face a tall task against the Bergers, who won the 2025 NPL Victoria and were runners-up in the Australian Cup and Australian Championship.
While Heidelberg hosted Stubbins months ago, he will be proud to return the favour to his historic ex-side at his club’s home, Lady Burra Stadium, in Adelaide’s inner south.
Whichever way this clash goes, Cumberland United serve as a great example for non-NPL teams about the possibilities the Australian football landscape offers ambitious clubs.
A rivalry beyond the pitch
FK Beograd were ever so close to making a maiden appearance on the national stage in 2025.
A drop in form, combined with the new manager bounce of its opponents, Adelaide Croatia Raiders, saw Beograd fall short in the semi-final of the 2025 Federation Cup, with its bitter rivals returning to the national stage instead.
Adrian D’Aloia’s side have been one of the NPL’s most solid performers in season 2026, but their drive to rectify cup shortcomings from previous campaign has been evident.
Despite playing exclusively away from home and against three NPL sides, Beograd performed confidently, notably putting last year’s Federation Cup semi-final behind it by convincingly defeating NPL league leaders at the time, West Torrens Birkalla, 3-0.
If there was any disappointment by the playing group about not getting that much-coveted away fixture on the night of the draw, it dissipated instantly when they found out who they would be hosting: North Sunshine Eagles.
While the on-field connection between a South Australian NPL side and a Victorian NPL 2 side is almost non-existent, their cultural backgrounds add considerable spice to this match-up.
The tension between Serbia and Albania over Kosovo extends beyond the respective homelands in the Balkans and into the diaspora.
From the stands, the added passion often finds its way to the field, as has been the case when North Sunshine have faced Melbourne-based Serbian club Springvale White Eagles.
Adelaide Croatia’s relegation left FK Beograd rival-less in 2026.
A nationally broadcast match against an interstate rival at the unique Frank Mitchell Park is sure to capture the general football public’s interest as two sides not accustomed to such a spotlight look to claim another night in it.
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