Belgian Cup
Encyclopedia
The Belgian Cup is the main knockout
football
competition in Belgium
, run by the Belgian Football Association
. The first cup was held in 1911-12. The most successful cup club is Club Brugge KV with 10 titles followed by RSC Anderlecht (9) and R Standard de Liège
(6). Since January 15, 2008, the Belgian Cup is sponsored by Cofidis and the cup is now called Cofidis Cup.
by 6-2. The next year, the province of Antwerp beat that of Brabant by 5-2. The cup was then suspended for two years.
The competition began with actual clubs in 1911 but was soon stopped due to the First World War. The interruption lasted until the season 1926-27 but again, the cup fell into disgrace among the leading clubs at the time. In 1953 the competition was finally back in the football calendar. Three years later, a poll was organized after which the Belgian cup was stopped once again. In 1964, with the birth of the European Cup Winners Cup, the competition was organized once again, in order for Belgian football to be represented at that level.
Another cup competition called Belgian League Cup was held between 1997 and 2000. The winning team was qualified for the UEFA Intertoto Cup
but the biggest clubs were denying this competition and were playing it with B teams. This, and the poor attendance during the matches were among the major arguments to stop the competition after three seasons. The winners were successively Lommel
, Sint-Truiden and RSC Anderlecht.
. The best 4 provinces select 13 teams and the other 5 provinces select 12 teams each to play in the first round. The second round is played between the 88 clubs who qualified from the first round.
The third division
teams (32 clubs) enter the competition on the third round (76 teams). The 18 second division
teams join the competition in the fourth round, together with 38 teams who qualified from the third round. The 28 winners all enter the last round.
The second stage reunites the 14 lower level teams qualified from the first stage with the 18 first division teams. The rounds of 32 and 16 are played in one game (as well as the final game) while the quarter finals and semi finals are played in two legs. The final game takes place at the Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels
.
Single-elimination tournament
A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
competition in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, run by the Belgian Football Association
Belgian Football Association
The Royal Belgian Football Association is the governing body of football in Belgium...
. The first cup was held in 1911-12. The most successful cup club is Club Brugge KV with 10 titles followed by RSC Anderlecht (9) and R Standard de Liège
Standard Liège
Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège (Dutch: Standard Luik [], German: Standard Lüttich , is a Belgian football club from the city of Liège....
(6). Since January 15, 2008, the Belgian Cup is sponsored by Cofidis and the cup is now called Cofidis Cup.
History
The first cup competition ever in Belgium was held in 1907-08 but the teams were not actual teams but were provincial selections. The province of West-Vlaanderen won to that of AntwerpAntwerp (province)
Antwerp is the northernmost province both of the Flemish Region, also called Flanders, and of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and the Belgian provinces of Limburg, Flemish Brabant and East Flanders. Its capital is Antwerp which comprises the Port of Antwerp...
by 6-2. The next year, the province of Antwerp beat that of Brabant by 5-2. The cup was then suspended for two years.
The competition began with actual clubs in 1911 but was soon stopped due to the First World War. The interruption lasted until the season 1926-27 but again, the cup fell into disgrace among the leading clubs at the time. In 1953 the competition was finally back in the football calendar. Three years later, a poll was organized after which the Belgian cup was stopped once again. In 1964, with the birth of the European Cup Winners Cup, the competition was organized once again, in order for Belgian football to be represented at that level.
Another cup competition called Belgian League Cup was held between 1997 and 2000. The winning team was qualified for the UEFA Intertoto Cup
UEFA Intertoto Cup
The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
but the biggest clubs were denying this competition and were playing it with B teams. This, and the poor attendance during the matches were among the major arguments to stop the competition after three seasons. The winners were successively Lommel
K.F.C. Lommel S.K.
Koninklijke Football Club Lommelse Sportkring was a Belgian football club that existed between 1932 and 2003. It played two spells at the highest level in the Belgian football league system: from 1992 to 2000 and from 2001 to 2003. Its best ranking was reached in 1997 when it finished...
, Sint-Truiden and RSC Anderlecht.
Format
The first stage comprises 5 matchdays (in one leg each), played in the 5 last Sundays before September 1. Matches are played at 16.00 on the ground of the first drawn team. The first round is played between 176 clubs from Belgian Provincial leaguesBelgian Provincial leagues
The Belgian Provincial leagues are the lower leagues for Belgian football. It is divided into 9 regional league systems . Each league system is itself divided into 4 levels...
. The best 4 provinces select 13 teams and the other 5 provinces select 12 teams each to play in the first round. The second round is played between the 88 clubs who qualified from the first round.
The third division
Belgian Third Division
The Belgian Third Division is the third highest level in Belgian football. It has two leagues of 18 teams each at the same level. This competition, known as the Belgian Promotion was first played in the 1926-27 season with three leagues, then with four leagues between 1931 and 1952. From 1952...
teams (32 clubs) enter the competition on the third round (76 teams). The 18 second division
Belgian Second Division
The Belgian Second Division is the second-highest division in the Belgian football league system after the Belgian Pro League. It was created by the Belgian Football Association in 1905. Between 2008 and 2010 it was named EXQI League after a television channel owned by the league main sponsor,...
teams join the competition in the fourth round, together with 38 teams who qualified from the third round. The 28 winners all enter the last round.
The second stage reunites the 14 lower level teams qualified from the first stage with the 18 first division teams. The rounds of 32 and 16 are played in one game (as well as the final game) while the quarter finals and semi finals are played in two legs. The final game takes place at the Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
.