Wikipedia - Copa del Rey

The Campeonato de España–Copa de Su Majestad el Rey, commonly known as Copa del Rey; La Copa or (in English) the Spanish Cup, and formerly known as Copa del Presidente de la República (1932–36) and Copa del Generalísimo (1939–76), 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 played at a national level. 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-placed team in the league who has not yet qualified (until 2014 this place was awarded to the Copa runners-up, unless they too had already qualified via the league).

Barcelona is the most successful club in the competition, having won 31 titles. Athletic Bilbao has the second-most wins with 23, while Real Madrid is third with 20. Real Madrid is also the most recent winner, having defeated Osasuna in the 2023 final held at the Estadio de La Cartuja.

History

In 1902, a competition under the name Copa de la Coronación was played after Juan de Astorquia, President of Bilbao Football Club, and 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.

The Copa del Rey was Spain's football national championship from 1903 (the first edition won by Athletic Bilbao with Juan de Astorquia as captain and president) 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).

Athletic Bilbao were declared winners in 1904 after their opponents Español de Madrid failed to show up. Between 1903 and 1909 the competition was organized by Madrid FC or by the Madrid Federation. Afterwards, it was taken over by the FECF (Federación Española de Clubs de Football), a forerunner of the RFEF. However, in both 1910 and 1913 there was a split among the clubs and two parallel competitions were held, one organized by the FECF and the other by the UECF (Unión Española de Club de Football). All these editions are officially recognized by the RFEF. In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, clubs in the Republican area of Spain entered the Copa de la España Libre, with Levante FC (forerunner of the present Levante UD) beating their city rivals Valencia 1–0 in the final. Although in 2007 the Congress of Deputies urged the Royal Spanish Football Federation to recognise it as a Copa del Rey win for Levante, for several years the governing body of Spanish football made no decision on the matter. On 25 March 2023, the tournament was officially recognized by the RFEF, but not as a Copa del Rey.

Because of the dispute regarding the 1902 competition, the statistics regarding the leading winners are also disputed. Barcelona have won the Copa 31 times; Athletic Bilbao are in second place, with either 23 or 24 titles, depending on the source.

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. Reserve teams of the professional clubs, who compete in lower divisions of the league pyramid, were permitted to take part until 1990. For a number of years, only teams from the , , about 23 teams from the and the 17 Tercera División champions (or runners-up if the champion was a reserve team) were invited to enter, giving a total of 83. Amended rules for the 2019–20 edition led to the number of entrants increasing to 125, including winners of the regional divisions at the fifth level.

All rounds are single-leg ties with lower division teams hosting the match and the majority of the top-level clubs entering at the First Round (four teams taking part in the Supercopa de España entering in the Third round – last 32), other than the semi-final stage which is played over two legs. This is another change introduced in 2019–20, with prior editions involving two legs from the point at which the top-tier clubs entered in the Fourth round (last 32). Athletic Bilbao particularly embraced the new format, winning a total of 21 single-leg ties to reach the two-legged semi-finals in each of its first five seasons. 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; in the past, the runners-up often played in the Supercopa if the winners had also finished as league champions (although on some occasions in these circumstances, no Supercopa match was not played and the double winners were awarded the title). From the 2019–20 Supercopa de España edition onwards, the previous Copa del Rey runners-up automatically qualify in addition to the winners with four teams taking part in the event.

Throughout the history of the competition, there have been 12 actual trophies, which were 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 Athletic Bilbao and one to Real Madrid (the last Copa de la República in 1936). Athletic kept the first trophy as inaugural winners, Sevilla were awarded the Trofeo del Generalísimo after its first edition in 1939 and Atlético Madrid, winners the previous year, were awarded the 11th trophy following the death of Francisco Franco in 1976.

On 22 December 2010, at an extraordinary general meeting of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Sevilla requested permission from the Federation to keep the trophy they had won in the 2010 final to commemorate the victory of the Spain national team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. A new trophy was made by Madrid jeweler 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. During the post-game celebrations, the trophy was accidentally dropped 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 at Plaza de Cibeles. The club received a copy which is displayed at Santiago Bernabéu.

The most unbalanced[] tie in the Copa del Rey was between Deportivo Murcia (from the seventh division) and Deportivo Alavés (from the first division) in the first round of the 2023–24 competition; the match ended 10–0 for Alavés.[]

The Spain Copa del Rey is one of the most prestigious soccer tournaments in Spain. It is an annual knockout competition that brings together the top professional teams from all divisions of Spanish football.

The tournament, which has a rich history dating back to 1903, is organized by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). It is named after King Alfonso XIII, who granted the trophy to the competition.

The Copa del Rey features a total of 83 teams, including those from La Liga, the second division (Segunda División), and lower divisions. The tournament begins with a preliminary round, followed by several knockout stages leading up to the final.

Matches are played in a home-and-away format, with the exception of the final, which is held at a neutral venue. The tournament provides an opportunity for smaller clubs to compete against the giants of Spanish football, often resulting in thrilling upsets and underdog stories.

The Copa del Rey is known for its intense and passionate atmosphere, with fans from all over Spain filling the stadiums to support their teams. The tournament showcases the best of Spanish football, with top players and teams battling it out for the coveted trophy.

Winning the Copa del Rey not only brings glory and recognition to the victorious team but also grants them a spot in the UEFA Europa League for the following season. This adds an extra incentive for teams to give their all in pursuit of the title.

Overall, the Spain Copa del Rey is a highly anticipated tournament that captivates the nation with its exciting matches, fierce rivalries, and the chance for underdogs to make history. It is a true celebration of Spanish football and a showcase of the country's rich soccer culture.