The Cup's finals series recommenced after delays on September 14, some 692 days since the 2019 FFA Cup final, but the Canberra side has been left in limbo due to the ACT's extended lockdown.

FA is anticipating Cooma's match again Sydney club APIA Leichhardt, due to be held at Deakin Stadium, will commence in late October or early November, subject to COVID-19 regulations.

The round of 32 was due to get underway in late July and August, before the delta-strain outbreak in Sydney, and later across Australia, forced the competition's postponement.

So far two of the Cup's 16 matches have been played in Queensland, with three more round of 32 matches scheduled this week.

FA chief executive officer James Johnson said last week he was thrilled about the return of the Cup.

"As the only competition in the Australian sporting landscape which connects the amateur and professional game, the FFA Cup holds a special place in Australia's football fabric, so we are delighted that for the first time since Adelaide United lifted the FFA Cup in October 2019 a final rounds fixture will be contested," he said.

"Considerable work has gone in to bringing ... [it] to life, with the players, clubs, and stakeholders including our broadcast and commercial partners, and member federations, all uniting alongside Football Australia to ensure that the FFA Cup can continue in 2021."

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Canberra's NPL competition was cancelled last week, after 17 rounds, due to the extended October 15 lockdown date. The Tigers claimed the premiership, based on a points per game ranking, and will be looking to further add to their collection.

The first time the Tigers made the Cup's found of 32 was in 2019, where they went down 2-0 to Melbourne club Hume City. The side has never progressed through to the round of 16 but 2021 may be their year.

Despite the side playing in Nijong Oval in Cooma, in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council area, where stay-at-home orders and lockdown was lifted on Thursday, all Tigers players are ACT based. Meaning Cooma, like their Leichhardt counterparts, will have not trained together or played a soccer match in months heading into the Cup match.

However, the delay may be a blessing for the Tigers, as coach Ryan Grogan told The Canberra Times back in July his side had been dealing with player injuries and had been caught short on occasion.

The side also has the chance to go all the way to the AFC Champions League this year, if they can overcome Leichhardt and go on to win the Cup.

Tigers FC run to round of 32:

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