| Waratah Cup | |
| Year: | 2023 |
| Country: | Australia (NSW) |
| Dates: | 14 June – 10 September (finals) 11 March – 6 June (prelim.) |
| Num Teams: | 4 (finals) 187 (prelim.) |
| Defending Champions: | NWS Spirit |
| Winners: | Sydney United 58 |
| Runner-Up: | APIA Leichhardt |
| Prev Season: | 2022 |
| Next Season: | 2024 |
The 2023 Waratah Cup was the 21st season of the Football NSW's knockout competition. The four winners from the Australia Cup preliminary seventh round qualified for the Waratah Cup. NWS Spirit were the defending champions but were eliminated by the eventual winners Sydney United 58 in the seventh round. Sydney United won the cup, their seventh in history, against APIA Leichhardt in extra time.
See main article: 2023 Australia Cup preliminary rounds.
The first draw was hosted in March 2023 at the headquarters of Football NSW and involved a total of 127 grassroots clubs (level 5) drawn for Rounds 2 and 3. Clubs from NSW League One and League Two were also included in the draw.[1] The Round 4 draw was announced in late March 2023 and included clubs from the National Premier Leagues NSW.[2]
| Round | Clubs remaining | Winners from previous round | New entries this round | Main match dates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round 2 | 187 | – | 126 | 5–19 March | |
| Round 3 | 116 | 53 | 49 | 11 March–10 April | |
| Round 4 | 64 | 52 | 12 | 4–26 April | |
| Round 5 | 32 | 32 | – | 26 April–3 May | |
| Round 6 | 16 | 16 | – | 9–17 May | |
| Round 7 | 8 | 8 | – | 31 May–6 June |
For the 2023 edition of the Waratah Cup, Sydney United 58, APIA Leichhardt and Mt Druitt Town Rangers from the National Premier Leagues NSW progressed to the semi-final. Inter Lions, from the NSW League One, entered the Waratah Cup semi-final for the first time in the club's history after defeating Rockdale Ilinden in the seventh round.[3] Sydney United contested for their seventh cup title, the most won by any club.[4]
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