AAMI Park sold out in a day. South Melbourne believe it sends a message to Australian football

More than two weeks before a ball is kicked, the Australia Cup Final has already made a statement.

AAMI Park has sold out for South Melbourne's blockbuster clash against A-League giants Melbourne Victory on October 10, with tickets exhausted just over a day after going on sale.

South's entire allocation, half of the stadium, has been snapped up by their supporters, while ticket sales have already surpassed the previous Australia Cup Final record.

For NPL VIC powerhouse South Melbourne, the response carries significance beyond the final itself - a match pitting a foundation of the old national competition against one of the defining clubs of the A-League era.

The four-time NSL champions publicly signalled their intention last month to open discussions about securing future A-League Men and Women licences.

Now the historic club believe the extraordinary demand for their first Australia Cup Final provides further evidence of the support that exists for traditional clubs within Australian football.

“History and tradition are crucial to supporter engagement,” South Melbourne Co-President Bill Papastergiadis said.

“The football community is clearly craving a stronger connection across our football pyramid.”

Papastergiadis added that the sell out affirmed South's “credibility and credentials” and reiterated the club's desire to be part of the game's professional future.

Co-President Andrew Mesourouni pointed specifically to South supporters filling their half of AAMI Park.

“Given the opportunity to shine, our supporters have filled half of AAMI Park and helped make this a record occasion for the Australia Cup,” he said.

The stage is now set for one of the most anticipated Australia Cup finals yet.