Founded | 1906 |
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Region | Berlin, Germany |
Qualifier for | DFB-Pokal |
Current champions | BFC Preussen (2015–16) |
Most successful club(s) | Tennis Borussia Berlin (16 titles) |
The Berliner Landespokal (English: Berlin Cup) is an annual football cup competition held by the Berlin Football Association (German: Berliner Fußballverband, BFV). The cup winner qualifies for the national DFB-Pokal. Cup finals are usually held in the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark. The competition has been held since 1906, with various interruptions. Record winners are Tennis Borussia Berlin with a total of 16 titles. It is one of the 21 regional cup competitions in Germany.
All BFV teams that compete in regular leagues are eligible, as well as the winner of the "Freizeitpokal" (a competition for recreational football teams). Teams competing in the Fußball-Bundesliga and the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga are not allowed to compete. Starting with the 2007–08 season, only the first teams of every club may compete in the cup. There is a separate cup competition for the reserve teams.
The competition is held in a knock-out tournament format, with each round consisting of a single match. If scores are level, extra time will be played, and a penalty shootout follows, if necessary. Home field advantage is determined by the draw, clubs share the revenue from the match. In the final, revenue is shared equally between the finalists and the Berlin FA.
Until 1931 the cup was played as "Berliner Verbandspokal" (Berlin Association Cup) in the Berlin-Brandenburg area. From 1932 to 1942 it was not held, because the national Tschammerpokal was introduced. Beginning with the 1943 edition it was re-introduced as the "Gaupokal Berlin-Brandenburg", its winner qualifying for the national cup competition. In the 1943-44 season, the Gaupokal was held, but the DFB-Pokal could not be held due to the Second World War. After the war ended and Berlin was divided in four sectors, the cup was held as "Pokal des amerikanischen Drahtfunks" (Cup of American Wire Radio) from 1946–47, later renamed "RIAS-Pokal". Little had changed, with the notable exception that no Brandenburg clubs participated. From 1950, East Berlin clubs were no longer allowed to participate, they were incorporated into the East German football league system.