# 1980 NSL Cup

The 1980 NSL Cup was the fourth edition of the NSL Cup, which was the main national association football knockout cup competition in Australia.
Adelaide City were the defending champions, having defeated St George-Budapest to win their first title in the previous year's final, but they were eliminated in the semi-finals by finalist Heidelberg United.
Marconi Fairfield defeated Heidelberg United 3–0 via a replay after a 0–0 draw in the final to win their first NSL Cup title.

## Teams

The NSL Cup was a knockout competition with 32 teams taking part all trying to reach the Final in October 1980. The competition consisted of the 14 teams from the National Soccer League plus 18 teams from their respective top division state leagues.
| Round | Main date | Number of fixtures | Clubs remaining |
| First round | Friday 25 April 1980 | 16 | 32 → 16 |
| Second round | Sunday 6 July 1980 | 8 | 16 → 8 |
| Quarter-finals | Sunday 3 August 1980 | 4 | 8 → 4 |
| Semi-finals | Wednesday 10 September 1980 | 2 | 4 → 2 |
| Final | Wednesday 15 October 1980 | 2 | 2 → 1 |

## Bracket

| First round | First round | First round | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final | Final |
| Brisbane City | Brisbane City | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mt Gravatt | Mt Gravatt | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mt Gravatt | Mt Gravatt | 1 | Mt Gravatt | Mt Gravatt | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Brisbane Lions | Brisbane Lions | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Brisbane Lions | Brisbane Lions | 3 | Brisbane Lions | Brisbane Lions | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Grange Thistle | Grange Thistle | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Grange Thistle | Grange Thistle | 0 | | | | Brisbane Lions | Brisbane Lions | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Sydney City | Sydney City | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| Ipswich Knights | Ipswich Knights | 0 | | | | | | | Sydney City | Sydney City | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| APIA Leichhardt Tigers | APIA Leichhardt Tigers | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| APIA Leichhardt Tigers | APIA Leichhardt Tigers | 1 | APIA Leichhardt Tigers | APIA Leichhardt Tigers | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Sydney City | Sydney City | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sydney Croatia | Sydney Croatia | 1 | Sydney City | Sydney City | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sydney City | Sydney City | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sydney City | Sydney City | 7 | | | | | | | | Brisbane Lions | Brisbane Lions | 0 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Marconi Fairfield | Marconi Fairfield | 1 | | | | |
| Blacktown City | Blacktown City | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | Marconi Fairfield | Marconi Fairfield | 1 | | | | |
| Sutherland Sharks | Sutherland Sharks | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sutherland Sharks | Sutherland Sharks | 0 | Blacktown City | Blacktown City | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | St George-Budapest | St George-Budapest | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| St George-Budapest | St George-Budapest | 2 | St George-Budapest | St George-Budapest | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Inter Monaro | Inter Monaro | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Inter Monaro | Inter Monaro | 1 | | | | St George-Budapest | St George-Budapest | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Marconi Fairfield | Marconi Fairfield | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| Marconi Fairfield | Marconi Fairfield | 3 | | | | | | | Marconi Fairfield | Marconi Fairfield | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| Melita-Eagles-Newtown | Melita-Eagles-Newtown | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Melita-Eagles-Newtown | Melita-Eagles-Newtown | 0 | Marconi Fairfield | Marconi Fairfield | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Newcastle KB United | Newcastle KB United | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Newcastle KB United | Newcastle KB United | 3 | Newcastle KB United | Newcastle KB United | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Edgeworth FC | Edgeworth FC | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Edgeworth FC | Edgeworth FC | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | Marconi Fairfield | Marconi Fairfield | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Heidelberg United | Heidelberg United | 0 |
| Canberra City | Canberra City | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Heidelberg United | Heidelberg United | 0 |
| Croatia Deakin | Croatia Deakin | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Croatia Deakin | Croatia Deakin | 2 | Canberra City | Canberra City | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Preston Makedonia | Preston Makedonia | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Rapid-Wrest Point | Rapid-Wrest Point | 1 | Preston Makedonia | Preston Makedonia | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Preston Makedonia | Preston Makedonia | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Preston Makedonia | Preston Makedonia | 5 | | | | Canberra City | Canberra City | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Heidelberg United | Heidelberg United | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| South Melbourne | South Melbourne | 5 | | | | | | | Heidelberg United | Heidelberg United | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| Frankston Pines | Frankston Pines | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Frankston Pines | Frankston Pines | 1 | South Melbourne | South Melbourne | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Heidelberg United | Heidelberg United | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Heidelberg United | Heidelberg United | 3 | Heidelberg United | Heidelberg United | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Essendon Croatia | Essendon Croatia | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Essendon Croatia | Essendon Croatia | 2 | | | | | | | | Heidelberg United (a.e.t.) | Heidelberg United (a.e.t.) | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Adelaide City | Adelaide City | 0 | | | | |
| Footscray JUST | Footscray JUST | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | Adelaide City | Adelaide City | 0 | | | | |
| Green Gully Ajax (a.e.t.) | Green Gully Ajax (a.e.t.) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Green Gully Ajax (a.e.t.) | Green Gully Ajax (a.e.t.) | 3 | Green Gully Ajax | Green Gully Ajax | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Adelaide City | Adelaide City | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Adelaide City | Adelaide City | 5 | Adelaide City | Adelaide City | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Enfield Victoria | Enfield Victoria | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Enfield Victoria | Enfield Victoria | 0 | | | | Adelaide City | Adelaide City | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Spearwood Dalmatinac | Spearwood Dalmatinac | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| Beograd SSC | Beograd SSC | 3 | | | | | | | Spearwood Dalmatinac | Spearwood Dalmatinac | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| Cumberland United | Cumberland United | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cumberland United | Cumberland United | 2 | Beograd SSC | Beograd SSC | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Spearwood Dalmatinac | Spearwood Dalmatinac | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Spearwood Dalmatinac | Spearwood Dalmatinac | 2 | Spearwood Dalmatinac | Spearwood Dalmatinac | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| West Adelaide | West Adelaide | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |