Country | Finland | ||
---|---|---|---|
Teams | 361 | ||
Champions | HJK Helsinki | ||
Runners-up | FC Honka | ||
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2008 Finnish Cup (Finnish: Suomen Cup) was the 54th season of the main annual football competition in Finland. It was organized as a single-elimination knock–out tournament.
Participation in the competition is voluntary. Veikkausliiga side IFK Mariehamn, for example, decided not to register for the tournament, as well as some Ykkönen teams.
Depending on their position within the league system, teams entered in different rounds. Clubs with teams in Kolmonen or an inferior league, as well as Veterans and Junior teams, started the competition in the First Round. Teams from the first three levels of the Finnish league pyramid entered in the Fourth Round, with the exception of Veikkausliiga clubs Tampere United, FC Haka, FC Honka and TPS. These four teams entered in the Sixth Round because they have qualified for European competitions after the 2007 season.
The tournament started on 1 April 2008 with the First Round and concluded with the Final held on 1 November 2008 at Finnair Stadium, Helsinki.
The draw for this round was conducted on 11 March 2008. Exactly one hundred teams were drawn into fifty matches for this round, with the remaining teams receiving a bye. Matches were played on April 1 – 10, 2008.
The draw for this round was conducted on 11 March 2008. The winners of the First Round, along with the teams who received a bye, were drawn into 130 matches for this round. Matches were played between April 2 – 25, 2008.
The draw for this round was conducted on 11 April 2008. The winners of the previous round participated in this round. Matches were played on April 19 – May 6, 2008.
The draw for this round was conducted on 23 April 2008. The 65 winners of the Third Round, along with the 47 teams from the top three tiers which entered in this round, were drawn into 56 matches for this round. Matches were played on May 6 – 30, 2008.