League cup
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In several sports, most prominently association football, a league cup or secondary cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league.[1] The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946–47 and was entitled the Scottish League Cup. However, in the Republic of Ireland the now-defunct League of Ireland Shield was the first national league-only tournament of its kind (played first in 1921); this was subsequently replaced by the League of Ireland Cup in 1983.
The creation of a league cup marked the difference from the domestic cup (or primary cup), which is generally also open to teams from multiple leagues, often as far down as regional amateur leagues, and who are also members of the country's football association. League cups are less prevalent than domestic cups.[1] [2]
The creation of a tournament of this kind exclusively for the top national-level league teams, in addition to the two main domestic association football tournaments of the league and association cup, also created a new national footballing achievement called the domestic "treble". The first national league treble of this kind was won by Shamrock Rovers of the Republic of Ireland in 1925.
League cups were generally introduced after the Second World War – for example, the Football League Cup in England in 1960 – although in other countries they were created following a rise in the number of floodlit stadiums, allowing regular midweek matches.
In certain countries, the league cup had, or in some cases still has, group stages in the early stages. These often opened the season before the main league season began.
List of league cups and secondary cups in association football
[edit ]Men's league cups
[edit ]Africa
[edit ]- Algeria Algerian League Cup
- Egypt Egyptian League Cup
- Kenya KPL Top 8 Cup
- South Africa
- MTN 8 – first tier
- Telkom Knockout – second tier
Asia
[edit ]- Australia
- Canale Cup – regional competition
- Philippines Copa Paulino Alcantara
- Indonesia Indonesia President's Cup
- Japan J.League Cup
- Jordan Jordan FA Shield
- Kuwait Kuwait Federation Cup
- Malaysia Malaysia Cup
- Oman Oman Professional League Cup
- Qatar Qatari Stars Cup
- Thailand Thai League Cup
- United Arab Emirates UAE League Cup
Europe
[edit ]- England
- EFL Cup (formerly the Football League Cup) – Tiers 1-4
- EFL Trophy (formerly the Football League Trophy) – Tiers 3-4 (16 U-21 teams of tier 1 & 2 clubs)
- National League Cup — Tier 5 (16 professional under-21 teams playing in Premier League 2)
- Isthmian League Cup – regional competition
- Northern Premier League Challenge Cup – regional competition
- Northern Premier League President's Cup – regional competition
- Southern Football League Cup – regional competition
- Finland Finnish League Cup
- Iceland Icelandic League Cup
- Republic of Ireland League of Ireland Cup
- Israel Toto Cup
- Italy Coppa Italia Dilettanti (tiers 5 and 6)
- Northern Ireland Irish League Cup
- Portugal Taça da Liga
- Russia FNL Cup
- Scotland
- Scottish League Cup – first tier
- Scottish Challenge Cup – second tier
- Spain Spain
- Copa Federación de España - tiers 3, 4 and 5
- Wales Welsh League Cup
South America
[edit ]Women's league cups
[edit ]Europe
[edit ]Asia
[edit ]North America
[edit ]Defunct league cups and secondary cups
[edit ]Men's league cups
[edit ]Africa
[edit ]Asia
[edit ]- Australia
- NSL Cup – first tier
- NNSWF State Cup – regional competition
- China Chinese Super League Cup
- Iraq Umm al-Ma'arik Championship
- Japan Japan Soccer League Cup (1973–1991), Konica Cup (1990 and 1991)
- Lebanon Lebanese Elite Cup (1996–2023), Lebanese Challenge Cup (2013–2023)
- Philippines UFL Cup
- South Korea Korean League Cup
Europe
[edit ]- Belgium Belgian League Cup
- Denmark Spar Cup, Danish League Cup, Viasat Cup
- East Germany Olympia-Pokal (1964), Fuwo-Pokal (1972), DFV-Toto-Sonderrunde (1974 and 1976)
- England Full Members Cup (tiers 1–2), Super Cup, Centenary Trophy (tier 1)
- France Coupe Charles Drago
- France Coupe de la Ligue
- Germany DFL-Ligapokal (1997–2007)
- Gibraltar Gibraltar Premier Cup
- Greece Greek League Cup (tier 1), Gamma Ethniki Cup (tier 3), Greek Football Amateur Cup (tiers 3–6)
- Northern Ireland Ulster Cup (1949–2003), Floodlit Cup (1987–1998), Gold Cup (1911–2001)
- Latvia Virsligas Winter Cup
- Norway Norwegian League Cup (1992 and 1993)
- Poland Young Leaders Rally Cup (1952), League Cup (1977 and 1978), Polish League Cup (1999–2002), Ekstraklasa Cup (2006–2009)
- Portugal Federation Cup
- Romania Cupa Ligii
- Russia Russian Premier League Cup
- Scotland Saint Mungo Cup, Summer Cup (tier 1), War Emergency Cup (tier 1), Supplementary Cup (tier 2), C Division League Cup (tier 3), Southern League Cup
- Soviet Union All-Union Committee of Physical Culture and Sports Tournament (1952), USSR Federation Cup
- Spain Copa de la Liga
- Switzerland Swiss League Cup
- Turkey Spor Toto Cup
- Ukraine Ukrainian Second League Cup (a preliminary tournament for the Ukrainian Cup that involved third-tier teams along with best teams of Ukrainian Amateur Cup; the Ukrainian League Cup was a single season supplemental tournament for the third-tier teams of 2009–10 Ukrainian Second League and involved participation of some reserve and amateur teams)
- Wales FAW Premier Cup
North America
[edit ]South America
[edit ]Women's league cups
[edit ]Asia
[edit ]North America
[edit ]- United States NWSL Challenge Cup (2020–2023, supercup from 2024)
League cups and secondary cups in other sports
[edit ]Basketball
[edit ]Men's league cups
[edit ]- France LNB Pro A Leaders Cup
- France LNB Pro B Leaders Cup
- United Kingdom BBL Cup (includes only British Basketball League teams)
- Iceland Icelandic League Cup (includes top two league levels)
- Israel Israeli Basketball State Cup (includes the top two levels, the Premier League and National League)
- Israel Israeli Basketball League Cup (separate cup for the Premier League and National League)
- Italy Coppa Italia (Serie A)
- Italy LNP Cup
- Portugal Portuguese League Cup
- Serbia KSS Cup (Second League)
- Spain Copa Princesa de Asturias (LEB Oro) - second tier
- Switzerland SBL Cup
- United States / Canada NBA Cup
Women's league cups
[edit ]- Iceland Icelandic League Cup (includes top two league levels)
- United States WNBA Commissioner's Cup
References
[edit ]- ^ a b Boillat, Camille; Poli, Raffaele (2014). "Governance models across football associations and leagues" (PDF). International Centre for Sports Studies. pp. 61–62. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- ^ "Who's won the treble? Bayern double up | UEFA Champions League". UEFA. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2022.