Football NSW announces NSW Sapphire Cup

Ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, Football NSW has launched the new ‘Sapphire Cup’ knockout competition for the 2023 season.

Clubs from the National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s and Football NSW League One competitions will participate as will senior association women’s clubs from across the state.

The Sapphire Cup will replicate the existing men’s Waratah Cup knockout competition, deriving its name from the former ‘NSW Sapphires’ team who were part of the former Women’s National Soccer League.

A former NSW Sapphires representative herself, Football NSW’s Head of Women’s Football Hayley Todd was delighted with the news.

“The introduction of the Sapphire Cup is an important step in providing equal playing opportunities for our female participants,” said Todd.

“The competition name pays tribute to a collective group of female footballers who helped pave the way for the current generation and I’m certainly proud to have represented the team myself.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing some Cup magic in the female game in 2023.”

Football NSW CEO John Tsatsimas labelled the new tournament as a historic and exciting new initiative for the female game NSW.

“Equality and inclusion are key pillars of Football NSW’s Strategic Plan and the introduction of the Sapphire Cup ensures our continued journey towards gender parity,” he said.

“We hope a successful women’s knockout competition in NSW will help provide a catalyst to the development of a national women’s Cup competition.”

The ‘NSW Sapphires’ were crowned WNSL Champions in 1997/98 (as the NSWIS Sapphires), 1999 and 2003/04, during which they featured a host of Matildas representatives, including the likes of Anissa Tann, Leah Blayney, Kylie Ledbrook, and Catherine Cannuli.

More information around entry into the 2023 Sapphire Cup competition will be released in the coming weeks.

*Deploy will be the inaugural ball partner of the 2023 Sapphire Cup