The2017 FFA Cup preliminary rounds was the qualifying competition to decide 21 of the 32 teams which took part in the2017 FFA Cup Round of 32, along with the 10A-League clubs and reigningNational Premier Leagues champion (Sydney United 58). The preliminary rounds operated within a consistent national structure whereby club entry into the competition is staggered in each federation, with the winning clubs from Round 7 of the preliminary rounds in each member federation gaining entry into the Round of 32. All Australian clubs were eligible to enter the qualifying process through their respective FFA member federation, however only one team per club was permitted entry in the competition.

The number of fixtures for each round, and the match dates for each Federation, are as follows.

• Some round dates in respective Federations overlap due to separate scheduling of zones.

The preliminary rounds structures were as follows,^[2][9] and refer to the different levels in the unofficialAustralian soccer league system :

• First qualifying round:

• 18 Victorian clubs level 9 and below entered this stage.

• Second qualifying round:

• 56 Victorian clubs (9 from the previous round and 47 level 8) entered this stage.

• First round:

• 10 Northern NSW clubs level 4 and below entered this stage.
• 88 Victorian clubs (28 from the previous round and 60 level 6–7) entered this stage.

• Second round:

• 18 New South Wales clubs level 6 and below entered this stage.
• 52 Northern NSW clubs (5 from the previous round and 52 level 4 and below) entered this stage.
• Queensland: 38 Brisbane-based clubs level 4 and below entered this stage.
• 20 South Australian clubs level 3–5 entered this stage.
• 80 Victorian clubs (44 from the previous round and 36 level 5–6) entered this stage.
• 10 Western Australian clubs level 6 and below entered this stage.

• Third round:

• 11 Australian Capital Territory clubs level 3 and below entered this stage.
• 116 New South Wales clubs (9 from the previous round and 107 level 4 and below) entered this stage.
• 41 Northern NSW clubs (30 from the previous round and 11 level 3) entered this stage.
• 6 Northern Territory clubs level 2 and below entered this stage.
• Queensland: 39 Brisbane-based clubs (19 from the previous round and 20 level 3–4) entered this stage.
• 32 South Australian clubs (10 from the previous round and 22 level 2–3) entered this stage.
• 8 Tasmanian clubs level 3 entered this stage.
• 64 Victorian clubs (40 from the previous round and 24 level 4) entered this stage.
• 32 Western Australian clubs (10 from the previous round and 28 level 3–5) entered this stage.

• Fourth round:

• 16 Australian Capital Territory clubs (7 from the previous round and 9 level 2) entered this stage.
• 80 New South Wales clubs (58 from the previous round and 22 level 2–3) entered this stage.
• 31 Northern NSW clubs (21 from the previous round and 10 level 2) entered this stage.
• 6 Northern Territory clubs (3 from the previous round and 3 level 2 and below) entered this stage.
• 42 Queensland clubs progressed to this stage.
• 16 South Australian clubs progressed to this stage.
• 16 Tasmanian clubs (4 from the previous round and 12 level 2–3) entered this stage.
• 64 Victorian clubs (32 from the previous round and 32 level 2–3) entered this stage.
• 32 Western Australian clubs (19 from the previous round and 13 level 2) entered this stage.

• Fifth round:

• 8 Australian Capital Territory clubs progressed to this stage.
• 40 New South Wales clubs progressed to this stage.
• 16 Northern New South Wales clubs progressed to this stage.
• 7 Northern Territory clubs (3 from the previous round and 4 level 2–3) entered this stage.
• 32 Queensland clubs (22 from the previous round and 10 level 2) entered this stage.
• 8 South Australian clubs progressed to this stage.
• 8 Tasmanian clubs progressed to this stage.
• 32 Victorian clubs progressed to this stage.
• 16 Western Australian clubs progressed to this stage.

• Sixth round:

• 4 Australian Capital Territory clubs progressed to this stage.
• 20 New South Wales clubs progressed to this stage.
• 8 Northern New South Wales clubs progressed to this stage.
• 4 Northern Territory clubs progressed to this stage.
• 16 Queensland clubs progressed to this stage.
• 4 South Australian clubs progressed to this stage.
• 4 Tasmanian clubs progressed to this stage.
• 16 Victorian clubs progressed to this stage.
• 8 Western Australian clubs progressed to this stage.

• Seventh round:

• 2 Australian Capital Territory clubs progressed to this stage, which was also the Final of theFederation Cup.
• 10 New South Wales clubs progressed to this stage. The 5 winners – along with the reigningNational Premier Leagues championSydney United 58 – also participated in theWaratah Cup.
• 4 Northern New South Wales clubs progressed to this stage.
• 2 Northern Territory clubs progressed to this stage – the winners of the Darwin-based and Alice Springs-based knockout competitions – which doubled as the final of theSport Minister's Cup.
• 8 Queensland clubs progressed to this stage.
• 2 South Australian clubs progressed to this stage, which was also the Grand Final of theFederation Cup.
• 2 Tasmanian clubs progressed to this stage, which was also the Grand Final of theMilan Lakoseljac Cup.
• 8 Victorian clubs progressed to this stage. The 4 winners also qualified to the semi-finals of theDockerty Cup.^[12]
• 4 Western Australian clubs progressed to this stage. The 2 winners also progressed to the Final of the Football WestState Cup.

• A-League Youth teams playing in their respective federation leagues were specifically excluded from the preliminary rounds as their respective Senior A-League clubs are already part of the competition.^[13]
• Sydney United 58 did not participate in the New South Wales qualifying rounds, as they had already qualified for the FFA Cup as2016 National Premier Leagues champions.

Notes

• w/o = Walkover

Notes

• w/o = Walkover
• † = After Extra Time

Notes

• w/o = Walkover
• † = After Extra Time
• QLD Byes –Beerwah Glasshouse United (3),Bribie Island Tigers (6),Caloundra FC (3),Kawana FC (3),Maroochydore FC (3),Noosa Lions (3) andWoombye FC (3).

Notes

• w/o = Walkover
• † = After Extra Time
• NNSW Byes –Port Saints (4),Stockton Sharks (5) andUrunga FC (4).
• WA Byes –Albany Bayswater (-),Albany Rovers (-) andBoulder City (-).

notes

• w/o = Walkover
• † = After Extra Time
• ACT Byes –Australian National University (3),O'Connor Knights (3) andQueanbeyan City (3).
• NNSW Byes –Coffs City United (4).
• QLD Byes –Across The Waves (3),Emerald Eagles (3),Mackay City Brothers (3),Mackay Lions (3),Mackay Wanderers (3),Toowong FC (5) andUnited Warriors (3).

Notes

• w/o = Walkover
• † = After Extra Time
• NNSW Bye –Valentine Phoenix (2).

Notes

• w/o = Walkover
• † = After Extra Time
• NT Bye –Mindil Aces (2)

Notes

• † = After Extra Time