The countdown to the 2026 NSW Touch Football State Cup is officially underway, with the Conditions of Entry now released.
State Cup returns to Port Macquarie from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 December, with three days of competition at the Regional Sporting Complex and Tuffins Lane Playing Fields.
As NSWTF’s State Championship event, State Cup remains one of the highlights of the representative calendar and once again provides an opportunity for Affiliates from across NSW to come together and compete across a wide range of divisions.
With the Conditions of Entry now available, Affiliates can begin finalising their plans, teams, officials and referees ahead of December.
Plenty to play for in Port Macquarie
The 2026 State Cup will again cater for a broad cross-section of our Touch Football community, with Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Open divisions, Men’s and Women’s 20s, Women’s 27s and a full range of Senior and Masters divisions through to Men’s 60s.
One of the key changes for 2026 will see Masters teams in divisions 40s and above able to register up to 16 players, with all 16 able to participate in each game.
The change provides greater flexibility for Affiliates when putting Masters teams together, creates additional opportunities for players to take part and brings the State Cup format into closer alignment with national events.
NSW Touch Football CEO Daniel Rushworth said the release of the Conditions of Entry was an important milestone as preparations for State Cup gather momentum.
“State Cup is the event our community looks forward to every year and now with the release of the Conditions of Entry really starts the countdown to December. We have players across a huge range of ages and divisions all coming together in Port Macquarie, representing their Affiliates and competing for a State Cup. That is what makes the event so special. The change to 16 players in our Masters divisions is also a good step forward. It gives Affiliates more flexibility in forming teams, creates more opportunities for people to play and better aligns our pathway with the national level. There is still plenty of work to be done between now and December, but we are really looking forward to seeing everyone back in Port Macquarie for another great event.”
Key dates for Affiliates
Planning will move quickly over the coming months.
- Referee nominations open on Wednesday 28 October.
- Team and team management nominations opening on Wednesday 4 November.
- Team and team management nominations close on Wednesday 11 November, before the draw is released on Friday 20 November.
- Final online player, team management and referee registrations close on Wednesday 25 November.
Affiliates are reminded that referee nominations must be completed before team nominations can be accepted. Affiliates are required to nominate at least one referee for every team entered, plus one additional referee.
Some important changes for 2026
The Conditions of Entry also include updates to NSWTF’s safeguarding and Working with Children Check requirements. All relevant Team management officials will be required to complete the Safeguarding Children and Young People in Sport Induction Course prior to State Cup.
The Working with Children Check process has also been updated, with Affiliates responsible for maintaining their own verification register while continuing to submit the required WWCC Protection Form to NSWTF.
These changes are aimed at making the requirements clearer for Affiliates while continuing to strengthen the standards that apply across NSWTF events.
The countdown is on!
Competition begins on Friday 4 December, continues throughout Saturday and finishes with the finals series and presentations on Sunday 6 December.
With the Conditions of Entry now released, Affiliates are encouraged to start preparing and make sure they are across the important nomination, eligibility, referee and registration requirements.
Three days in Port Macquarie. State Championships on the line. The countdown to State Cup is on.
All Conditions of Entry, nominations, registrations and event information will be available through the 2026 NSW Touch Football State Cup
For more information of the event please click below: