A dodgy playing surface in Cooma will allow Hume City to bypass a subzero FFA Cup contest, with Tigers FC likely to move their round of 32 game to Deakin.
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The Tigers are still weighing up where they will play their debut FFA Cup match, with a date and a venue to be finalised in the coming days.
A trip to the Snowy Mountains would be a daunting challenge for Melbourne-based Hume City, with the minimum temperature in Cooma dropping to minus five degrees next week.
The Tigers beat Canberra FC to secure their place in the Australian-wide competition for the first time. Assistant coach Jair Wilk said their pre-season tour of Argentina set the team up for success.
"When we first started the season this year we had a plan to make the FFA Cup for the first time in the club's history," Wilk said.
"And that's why we went to the other side of the world. We went to Argentina and had a great pre-season there, we played against Indepeniente, a great respected club all around the world and in South America. So we actually prepared ourselves very well to be where we are today."
The Victorian team have a lot more experience on the big stage than their opponents. But that doesn't worry the team too much, according to Tigers captain and striker Mark Shields.
"The NPL Victorian League is traditionally fairly strong so we are looking forward to a big game," Shield said.
"Our preseason has helped us immensely to realise that it doesn't really matter who the team is but as long as you structure well and play well then you've got a great opportunity."
Cooma had their first taste of professional football on their Argentine tour and Shields believes the FFA Cup is the perfect platform to be recognised outside Canberra.
"It puts us on a stage where we would love to be and gives us an opportunity to be seen," Shields said.
"Olympic did that a couple of years back and it really catapulted a lot of their players and gave them more opportunities."
Wilk believes the balance between youth and experience in the squad will also benefit them in their hunt to go further into the competition.
Canberra Olympic were the last ACT side to make the round of 16 three years ago and Cooma have their sights set on surpassing their record.
"There's a few youngsters in our team but there's also experience," Wilk said.
"We've got [striker] Nicolas Abot and Jose Defilippi in the midfield, they're two Argentinian imports who have played all around the world."
While qualifying for the FFA Cup is a great achievement for the club, Wilk believes it will also benefit Canberra.
"This creates an opportunity, not just for the club but for all of Canberra," Wilk said.
"If we can progress as far as we can in the FFA Cup, it just goes to show that there's talent and players who can potentially be playing in the A-League here in Canberra. We want to show Australia that Canberra is a competitive city."
Cooma currently hold a four-point lead on top of the Canberra premier league ladder and Wilk believes their need to continue their winning ways to gain momentum ahead of the FFA Cup.
The Tigers will look to extend their lead in their upcoming clash with the Monaro Panthers on Saturday at Riverside Stadium.
"We just take it as it comes," Wilk said. "We're concentrating on Monaro because if we win there we go seven points clear on the top, depending on other results."
The Tigers will play the Monaro Panthers Saturday 29 June at 5:30pm at Riverside Stadium.
