The Campeonato de España–Copa de Su Majestad el Rey,[a] commonly known as Copa del Rey[b] or simply La Copa,[c] is an annual knockout football competition in Spanish football, organized by the Royal Spanish Football Federation.

The competition was founded in 1903, thus making it the oldest Spanish football competition. Copa del Rey winners qualify for the following season's UEFA Europa League. If they have already qualified for Europe through their league position, then the Europa League spot is given to the highest-place team in the league who has not yet qualified.

Barcelona is the most successful club in the competition as well as the current cup holders, winning their fourth consecutive and 30th overall title against Sevilla in the 2018 final held at the Wanda Metropolitano.

History [ edit ]

In 1902, a competition under the name Copa de la Coronación, was played after Carlos Padrós, later president of Real Madrid, suggested a football tournament to celebrate the coronation of Spanish King Alfonso XIII. Four other teams joined Madrid FC for the competition: FC Barcelona, Club Español de Foot-Ball, New Foot-Ball de Madrid and Club Bizcaya (a team made up of players from Athletic Club and Bilbao FC) which eventually defeated Barcelona in the final. That cup is on display in the Athletic Bilbao museum and the club includes the victory in its honours list. Nevertheless, it is considered only the forerunner of the Copa del Rey. The Royal Spanish Football Federation officially does not recognize it.[1][2]

Copa del Rey was Spain's football National Championship from 1903[3] until the foundation of the Campeonato de Liga — League Championship — in 1928. It was initially known as the Copa del Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Madrid City Council's Cup). Between 1905 and 1932, it was known as the Copa de Su Majestad El Rey Alfonso XIII (His Majesty King Alfonso XIII's Cup). During the Second Spanish Republic, it was known as the Copa del Presidente de la República (President of the Republic Cup) or Copa de España (Spanish Cup) and during the years of Francisco Franco's Spanish State, it was known as the Copa de Su Excelencia El Generalísimo or Copa del Generalísimo (His Excellency, The Supreme General's Cup).[3] Athletic Bilbao were declared winners in 1904 after their opponents Español de Madrid failed to show up. In both 1910 and 1913, there was a split among the clubs and two rival associations, the Unión Española de Clubs de Fútbol and the Federación Española de Fútbol, organised rival competitions, the Copa UECF and the Copa FEF. In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, clubs in the Republican area of Spain entered the Copa de la España Libre, with Levante beating their city rivals Valencia 1–0 in the final. (Although in 2007 the Congress of Deputies urged Royal Spanish Football Federation to recognise it as a Copa del Rey win for Levante,[4] the governing body of Spanish football has not made a decision yet.)[5]

Because of the dispute regarding the 1902 competition, the statistics regarding the leading winners are also disputed. Barcelona have won the Copa 30 times; Athletic Bilbao are just behind, with either 24 or 23 titles, depending on the source. Throughout the history of the competition, there have been 12 actual trophies. Trophies have been permanently awarded to clubs for winning the competition either three times in a row or on five separate occasions and for other special reasons. Thus, five trophies have been permanently awarded to Barcelona, three to Bilbao and one to Real Madrid. Athletic Bilbao kept the first trophy as inaugural winners, Sevilla FC were awarded the Trofeo del Generalísimo in 1939 and Atlético Madrid, winners the previous year, were awarded the 11th trophy following the death of Francisco Franco. In December 2010, the cup was given to Sevilla, the 2010 winners, to keep in honour of Spain's World Cup victory.[6]

Before the formation of La Liga in 1929, the competition was effectively a national championship. Teams qualified to enter via their regional leagues. Over the years, various formats, including group stages have been used. Only teams from the Primera División, Segunda A, about 23 teams from the Segunda B and the Tercera División champions (or runners-up if the champion is a reserve team) are invited to enter. The early rounds are one-off games with teams from the lower divisions given home advantage. The round of 32, the round of 16, the quarter-finals, and semi-finals are played over two legs. The final is a one-off game played at a neutral venue. The winners qualify for both the Supercopa de España and the UEFA Europa League the following season.

Trophy [ edit ]

On 22 December 2010, at an extraordinary general meeting of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Sevilla FC requested permission from the Federation to keep the trophy they had won in the 2010 final to commemorate the victory of the Spanish national team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. There had been a precedent for this; Real Madrid were allowed to keep the last Copa de la República (1936), Sevilla, the first Copa del Generalísimo (1939) and, Atlético Madrid, the last Copa del Generalísimo (1976).

A new trophy was made by Madrid jeweller Federico Alegre. The trophy, made of silver, weighs 15 kg (33 lb) and is 75 cm (30 in) tall. On 21 April 2011, Real Madrid became the first recipients of the trophy. During the post-game celebrations, the trophy was accidentally dropped at Plaza de Cibeles by Real Madrid player Sergio Ramos from the top of a double-decker bus, which then ran over it. Ten pieces were found by civil servicemen when they recovered it from the ground. The club received a copy which is displayed at Santiago Bernabéu.[7][8]

List of finals [ edit ]

Key Match was won during extra time * Match was won on a penalty shoot-out & Match was won after a replay

‡‡ Real Madrid's reserve team. Reserve teams were banned for this competition for the first time in the 1990–91 competition.

Performances [ edit ]

‡ Counting the 1913 win by Racing de Irún, which merged with Irún Sporting Club in 1915 to form Real Unión.

‡‡ Real Madrid's reserve team. Reserve teams were banned for this competition for first time in the 1990–91 competition.

‡‡‡ The number of wins Athletic Bilbao have been credited with is disputed. The 1902 version was won by Bizcaya, a team made up of players from Athletic Club and Bilbao FC. In 1903 these two clubs merged as the current Athletic Club. The 1902 cup is on display in the Athletic museum and the club includes it in its own honors list.[9]

Top goalscorers [ edit ]

Bold indicates an active player.

Club name changes [ edit ]

Other Copas del Rey [ edit ]

Notes [ edit ]

A. ^ On route to the final, Español de Madrid had tied one game and had not completed the other game, which led Athletic to file a complaint. Faced with this problem and unable to quickly solve the case, the Madrid Association decided to award the cup to Athletic as defending champions. B. ^ The first final, played the day earlier, ended 2–2 after extra time. C. ^ Originally played as a two-legged final. The first match, played seven days earlier, ended 2–2, and the second match, played six days earlier, ended 0–0. D. ^ The first final, played two days earlier, ended 0–0 after extra time. E. ^ The first and second final ended 1–1 after extra time. Both matches were played a month before the second replay. F. ^ Real Madrid won the penalty shoot-out 4–3. G. ^ Betis won the penalty shoot-out 8–7. H. ^ Real Sociedad won the penalty shoot-out 4–2. I. ^ Zaragoza won the penalty shoot-out 5–4. J. ^ The match was suspended by heavy rain and hail in the 79th minute, and was resumed three days later. K. ^ Barcelona won the penalty shoot-out 5–4.

Broadcasters [ edit ]

Due to laws and regulations of the tournament broadcasting rights by CNMC in Spain, the Copa del Rey's final match maybe excluded on the tournament's package. If the broadcasters airs the Copa del Rey's final match, the broadcasters also broadcast the Supercopa matches after the end of tournament.[16]

Spain [ edit ]

Broadcaster Summary Mediapro Selected matches in all rounds (exclude the final), live on beIN Sports.

2 matches per round until both semifinals, also available for free on Gol. [17] RTVE 2 matches per round until both semifinals, live and free. [18] TBA Exclusively live and free coverage for final only, plus Supercopa matches.

International [ edit ]

^1 – Semi-finals for 2018–19 season.