Perth Glory will launch their 2026 Australia Cup campaign with a difficult trip to Queensland after being drawn against NPL Queensland giants Lions FC in the Round of 32.

Although Glory were drawn first during Monday evening’s draw, competition rules grant hosting rights to the lower-tier side, meaning Lions FC will stage the tie.

The fixture will be played between July 14 and July 29, with the exact date and venue yet to be confirmed.

The clash rekindles memories of the clubs’ previous Australia Cup meeting in 2015, when Perth Glory edged Lions FC 1-0 after extra time during a memorable cup run that eventually took the A-League side to the final.

Former Glory forward Chris Harold scored the decisive goal that night despite Perth being reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of goalkeeper Jerrad Tyson.

This year’s encounter, however, could prove even more challenging.

Lions FC have established themselves as one of the strongest clubs outside the A-League and enter the competition in impressive form. The Brisbane-based club currently sits second in the NPL Queensland standings, just three points behind league leaders Peninsula Power after winning 10 of their opening 14 matches.

Their recent domestic dominance has been equally impressive. Lions secured back-to-back Queensland NPL championships in the past two seasons and also claimed the premiership title in 2022, underlining their status as one of Australia’s leading state-league sides.

For Perth Glory, the trip north represents a stern early examination as they seek to make a deep run in the national knockout competition.

Australia Cup history has repeatedly shown that A-League clubs cannot afford to underestimate ambitious NPL opponents, and Lions FC possess both the quality and experience to threaten another major upset.

With a place in the Round of 16 at stake, the encounter promises to be one of the standout ties of the opening round as Glory attempt to avoid becoming another cup casualty against one of Queensland’s most formidable clubs.