League Cup
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. In 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. 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; this was subsequently replaced by the League of Ireland Cup in 1983.
The creation of a League Cup marked the difference from the Association Cup or Big 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.
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.
Contents
List of League Cups and Secondary Cups
Asia
Hong Kong
India
Japan
Singapore
Thailand
Africa
South Africa
Europe
England
- Football League Cup
- Football League Trophy
- Isthmian League Cup
- Northern Premier League Challenge Cup
- Northern Premier League President's Cup
- Southern Football League Cup
Finland
France
Gibraltar
Hungary
Iceland
Republic of Ireland
Israel
Northern Ireland
Portugal
Romania
Scotland
Wales
North America
Trinidad and Tobago
Defunct League Cups
Asia
China PR
Japan
South Korea
Africa
Tunisia
Europe
Belgium
Denmark
East Germany
- Olympia-Pokal (1964)
- Fuwo-Pokal (1972)
- DFV-Toto-Sonderrunde (1974 & 1976)
