The Northern Territory FFA Cup Preliminary Rounds are part of the qualification process for the FFA Cup, which is the main national football (soccer) knockout cup competition in Australia. The FFA Cup is run by the Football Federation Australia (FFA).
In each state or territory, local clubs compete in a series of preliminary rounds to determine which teams will advance to the main part of the FFA Cup. The number of clubs each state/territory gets in the main draw typically depends on factors such as the size and strength of each state/territory's football league.
The Northern Territory, being one of the smaller states in terms of population and football participation, usually has fewer places in the FFA Cup compared to larger states like New South Wales or Victoria.
In the Northern Territory FFA Cup Preliminary Rounds, clubs from the local Northern Territory leagues participate. This can include teams from various levels of the football pyramid in the state, from the top-tier Northern Territory Premier League down to lower-level regional and amateur leagues.
The format typically consists of a knockout tournament, with matches decided over a single game. The winners advance to the next round, with the process continuing until a set number of teams remain. These teams then advance to the main draw of the FFA Cup, where they could potentially face top professional sides from the A-League, Australia's highest level of club football.