The 2021 Kate Sheppard Cup is New Zealand's women's 27th annual knockout football competition after the competition was cancelled, for the first time in its history, last season due to COVID-19. This is the fourth year that the competition is known by the Kate Sheppard Cup, or New Zealand Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup for sponsorship purposes, after previously been known as the Women's Knockout Cup since its establishment. The cup has had twelve different winners lift the trophy over its 27-year history with Lynn-Avon United from Auckland being the most successful and Eastern Suburbs being the current holders from the 2019 season.
The 2021 competition has four rounds before quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final. Competition will run in four regions (northern, central/capital, mainland, southern) until the quarter-finals, from which stage the draw will be open. In all, a record 57 teams entered the competition this year which means the cup had a preliminary round added.
All matches were played over the Anzac weekend of 23âÂÂ26 April 2021. A full list of results are as follows:
All matches were played over the weekend of 15âÂÂ16 May 2021. A full list of results are as follows:
All matches were played on Queen's Birthday weekend 5âÂÂ7 June 2021. A full list of results are as follows:
All matches were played on the weekend 18âÂÂ20 June 2021 except for the game between Western Springs and Northern Rovers which was postponed due to floodlights going off before the game ended.
Three of the matches were played on the weekend 10âÂÂ11 July 2021.
Matches were meant to be played on the weekend 21âÂÂ22 August 2021 however due to a COVID-19 outbreak and the country going into lockdown, the games were postponed.
The final was to be played on the 8 September 2021 but due to delay of the semi-final games, it was pushed back to the 27 March 2022.