The Northern NSW Women’s State Cup returns to Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility this weekend for its ninth edition with two clubs chasing back-to-back titles.
The three-day competition brings together Cardiff Motor Group NPL Women’s NNSW clubs, community football teams and a NNSWF Indigenous representative team for the unique opportunity to compete against one another.
Twenty teams will participate in the 2026 tournament, including all seven Cardiff Motor Group NPL Women’s NNSW clubs.
North Coast Football side Urunga FC will look to defend the Women’s State Cup Community Plate after defeating Football Mid North Coast side Lake Cathie FC 1-0 in the 2025 final.
Urunga sit atop the North Coast Football Women’s HIT105.5 Premier League after losing just one game this season. Coach Trevor Martin said he was quietly confident his side could defend its title.
“We are quietly confident. We always turn up with the intention of doing well and trying to get a result, so that will be no different for us,” Martin said.
“We've got a couple of other things to think about with the [UNE Regional] Super League coming up the week after. So it's a little bit of a different preparation for us but we're hoping to defend the title.
“It would be great for our club. It's something that we can talk about and is an achievement that's more impressive than what we can get locally.
“If the club does well, it’s something that we have that other clubs around us don't have. It lifts us in our approach to where we sit and that gives us the confidence to feel that we can keep on performing at high level.”
Martin said managing player workloads across the weekend would be key to another successful campaign.
“It will be keeping the players on the park. There's a lot of hours of football that we will play and I need to get that as a priority, that management of how I will deal with players and putting them out there,” Martin said.
“If I can keep a strong team out there, a strong 11, it would just be sort of maintaining that level throughout the whole tournament so that when we get to the finals, we've still got something left in the tank and we can still perform.”
Cardiff Motor Group NPL Women’s NNSW club Maitland FC will chase its second trophy of the year after winning the HMRI Charity Shield in February.
Maitland FC shared the 2025 Women’s State Cup title with Charlestown Azzurri after the final was abandoned at 0-0 because of a serious injury. Magpies coach Ben Horgan said his side was determined to secure the trophy outright this year.
“The players are very keen to win everything that’s on offer. They will be motivated to win,” Horgan said.
“The tournament aspect will see us use a large number of our squad, so it'll be good to see some of those players get opportunities.
“But our players are competitive and will want to do the best they can.”
Alongside the seven Cardiff Motor Group NPL Women’s NNSW clubs and Urunga FC, community clubs Kempsey Saints, Lochinvar Rovers, Medowie FC, Lake Cathie FC, Bellbird JFC, Northumberland United, Southern United, New Lambton FC, University of Newcastle FC, Warners Bay FC and Cooks Hill United will also compete.
A NNSWF Indigenous Women’s representative team will return for its fifth appearance, bringing together First Nations players and coaches from across northern NSW.
NNSWF Indigenous coach Aleshia Lyons said the group was excited to come together and showcase their Indigenous culture.
“The group is excited to come together once again and compete in this fantastic competition to showcase their Indigenous culture,” Lyons said.
“It’s always a really special opportunity for the players to represent something that means so much to them, both on and off the field.
“They’re eager to demonstrate how much the team has grown over the past few years, not just in terms of football, but in the way they’ve come together as a group and supported one another.
“We believe this is our strongest squad yet, with the players continuing to develop each season, gaining valuable experience, and really embracing what it means to be part of this team.”
Play begins on Friday evening, with the Women’s State Cup and Community Plate finals scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
2026 Women’s State Cup Draw
Group A
Adamstown rosebud JFC
NNSWF Indigenous team
Kempsey Saints
Lochinvar Rovers
Medowie FC
Group B
Maitland FC
Newcastle Olympic
Lake Cathie FC
Bellbird JFC
Northumberland United
Group C
Lake Macquarie City FC
Charlestown Azzurri
Southern United
Warners Bay FC
Cooks Hill United
Group D
New Lambton Eagles (Premier)
Broadmeadow Magic
Urunga FC
New Lambton FC (Community)
University of Newcastle FC