# 2023 Australia Cup

The 2023 Australia Cup was the tenth season of the Australia Cup, the main national soccer knockout cup competition in Australia. Thirty-two teams contested the competition proper, with the winner qualifying for the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two.
Macarthur FC were the defending champions, but were eliminated by Campbelltown City in the Round of 32.
Sydney FC won its second Australia Cup after defeating Brisbane Roar in the final. This also resulted in qualification to the group stage of the AFC's 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two competition.

## Round and dates

| Round | Draw date | Match dates | Number of fixtures | Teams | New entries this round |
| Preliminary rounds | Various | 9 February–18 July | 746 | 778 → 32 | 770 |
| Round of 32 | 28 June | 4–14 August | 16 | 32 → 16 | 8 |
| Round of 16 | 14 August | 26–30 August | 8 | 16 → 8 | None |
| Quarter-finals | 30 August | 14–17 September | 4 | 8 → 4 | None |
| Semi-finals | 17 September | 24 September | 2 | 4 → 2 | None |
| Final | — | 7 October | 1 | 2 → 1 | None |

## Teams

A total of 32 teams participated in the 2023 Australia Cup competition proper.
A-League Men clubs represent the highest level in the Australian league system, whereas Member Federation clubs come from level 2 and below.
A-League Men clubs :
| Adelaide United | Brisbane Roar | Central Coast Mariners | Macarthur FC |
| Melbourne City | Newcastle Jets | Sydney FC | Wellington Phoenix |
| Western Sydney Wanderers | Western United | | |
| Member federation clubs ||||
| Canberra Croatia (2) | APIA Leichhardt (2) | Inter Lions (3) | Mt Druitt Town Rangers (2) |
| Sydney United 58 (2) | Edgeworth FC (2) | Broadmeadow Magic (2) | Hellenic Athletic (2) |
| Gold Coast Knights (2) | Lions FC (2) | Moreton Bay United (2) | Peninsula Power (2) |
| Campbelltown City (2) | North Eastern MetroStars (2) | Devonport City Strikers (2) | Goulburn Valley Suns (4) |
| Heidelberg United (2) | Melbourne Knights (2) | Northcote City (3) | Oakleigh Cannons (2) |
| Floreat Athena (2) | Inglewood United (2) | | |

## Preliminary rounds

Member federation teams competed in various state-based preliminary rounds to win one of 22 places in the competition proper (at the Round of 32). All Australian clubs (other than youth teams associated with A-League franchises) were eligible to enter the qualifying process through their respective member federation; however, only one team per club was permitted entry into the competition. The preliminary rounds operate within a consistent national structure whereby club entry into the competition is staggered in each state/territory, determined by what level the club sits at in the Australian soccer league system. This ultimately leads to round 7 with the winning clubs from that round entering directly into the round of 32. Slot allocations were the same as the previous year.
The top eight placed A-League Men clubs from the 2022–23 A-League Men season gained automatic qualification to the Round of 32. The remaining four teams entered a play-off series to determine the remaining two positions.
| Federation | Associated competition | Round of 32 qualifiers |
| Football Australia | A-League Men | 10 |
| Capital Football (ACT) | Federation Cup (ACT) | 1 |
| Football NSW | Waratah Cup | 4 |
| Northern NSW Football | NNSWF State Cup | 2 |
| Football Northern Territory | NT FFA Cup Final | 1 |
| Football Queensland | — | 4 |
| Football South Australia | Federation Cup (SA) | 2 |
| Football Tasmania | Milan Lakoseljac Cup | 1 |
| Football Victoria | Dockerty Cup | 5 |
| Football West (WA) | State Cup | 2 |

## Bracket

| Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| North Eastern MetroStars | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| Inglewood United | 0 | North Eastern MetroStars | 1 | | | | | | |
| Hellenic Athletic | 0 | Inter Lions | 0 | | | | | | |
| Inter Lions | 6 | | | North Eastern MetroStars | 1 | | | | |
| Oakleigh Cannons | 2 | | | Melbourne City | 2 | | | | |
| Melbourne City | 3 | Melbourne City | 3 | | | | | | |
| Peninsula Power | 1 | Wellington Phoenix | 0 | | | | | | |
| Wellington Phoenix (a.e.t.) | 2 | | | | | Melbourne City | 1 | | |
| Goulburn Valley Suns | 1 | | | | | Sydney FC | 2 | | |
| APIA Leichhardt | 4 | APIA Leichhardt | 0 | | | | | | |
| Sydney FC (p) | 3 (10) | Sydney FC | 2 | | | | | | |
| Central Coast Mariners | 3 (9) | | | Sydney FC | 3 | | | | |
| Gold Coast Knights | 1 | | | Western United | 0 | | | | |
| Devonport City Strikers | 0 | Gold Coast Knights | 0 | | | | | | |
| Edgeworth FC | 0 | Western United | 2 | | | | | | |
| Western United | 4 | | | | | | | Sydney FC | 3 |
| Melbourne Knights | 4 | | | | | | | Brisbane Roar | 1 |
| Lions FC | 1 | Melbourne Knights | 2 | | | | | | |
| Campbelltown City | 2 | Campbelltown City | 0 | | | | | | |
| Macarthur FC | 1 | | | Melbourne Knights | 3 | | | | |
| Mt Druitt Town Rangers | 3 | | | Heidelberg United | 2 | | | | |
| Canberra Croatia | 1 | Mt Druitt Town Rangers | 0 | | | | | | |
| Moreton Bay United | 0 | Heidelberg United | 3 | | | | | | |
| Heidelberg United | 3 | | | | | Melbourne Knights | 0 | | |
| Broadmeadow Magic | 2 | | | | | Brisbane Roar | 1 | | |
| Sydney United 58 | 4 | Sydney United 58 | 0 | | | | | | |
| Newcastle Jets | 2 | Brisbane Roar | 5 | | | | | | |
| Brisbane Roar (a.e.t.) | 3 | | | Brisbane Roar | 4 | | | | |
| Floreat Athena | 1 | | | Western Sydney Wanderers | 2 | | | | |
| Western Sydney Wanderers | 6 | Western Sydney Wanderers | 5 | | | | | | |
| Northcote City | 0 | Adelaide United | 1 | | | | | | |
| Adelaide United | 2 | | | | | | | | |

## Round of 32

The round of 32 draw took place on 28 June 2023. The lowest ranked side that qualified for this round was Goulburn Valley Suns. They were the only level 4 team left in the competition.

## Round of 16

The round of 16 draw took place on 14 August 2023. The lowest ranked side that qualified for this round was Inter Lions. They were the only level 3 team left in the competition.

## Quarter-finals

The quarter-finals draw took place on 30 August 2023. The lowest ranked sides that qualified for this round were Heidelberg United, Melbourne Knights and North Eastern MetroStars. They were the only level 2 teams left in the competition.

## Semi-finals

The semi-final draw took place on 17 September 2023. The lowest ranked side that qualified for this round was Melbourne Knights. They were the only level 2 team left in the competition.

## Final

The venue was originally set for Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, but was changed to Sydney to the Allianz Stadium due to irrigation work.

## Top goalscorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Lachlan Brook | Western Sydney Wanderers | 5 |
| 2 | Tolgay Arslan | Melbourne City | 4 |
| 2 | Thomas Waddingham | Brisbane Roar | 4 |
| 2 | Patrick Wood | Sydney FC | 4 |
| 5 | Gian Albano | Melbourne Knights | 3 |
| 5 | Marcus Antonsson | Western Sydney Wanderers | 3 |
| 5 | Brandon Borrello | Western Sydney Wanderers | 3 |
| 5 | Mitchell Hore | Melbourne Knights | 3 |
| 5 | Jamie Maclaren | Melbourne City | 3 |
| 5 | Kaine Sheppard | Heidelberg United | 3 |
Note: Goals scored in preliminary rounds not included.