Danish Cup

Danish Cup
Founded1954; 70 years ago (1954)
Region Denmark
Number of teams108
Qualifier forUEFA Europa League
Current championsSilkeborg IF (2nd title)
Most successful club(s)F.C. Copenhagen
AGF (9 titles)
Television broadcastersDR
TV3 Sport
Websitepokalturnering.dk
2024–25 Danish Cup

The Danish Cup (Danish: Landspokalturneringen; often referred to as Pokalen) is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955.

The winner will qualify for the UEFA Europa League tournament the following year, where they (as of the 2009–10 season) will enter in the third qualifying round.

The final traditionally takes place on Kristi Himmelfarts Dag (The Ascension) and it is always played in the Danish national stadium Parken. However in the 1991 and 1992 seasons the final had been rescheduled to Odense Stadion and Århus Stadion respectively due to the renovation of Parken. Furthermore, in 2011, because Ascension Thursday fell on 2 June and an international match date was already allotted for this date, the Danish Cup final was played two weeks earlier on 22 May, which coincided with the annual Copenhagen Marathon.

The clubs with the most finals appearances is FCK and AaB with 13 finals each, having won 9 and 3 respectively.

Attention has been brought to the fact that the final on most occasions unpractically is played before the last rounds of the league, which can open up for speculation in the benefit of losing league games at the end of the season especially for the cup runner-up if the winner is heading for the league championship. Recently former AaB player David Nielsen claimed in his autobiography that after losing the cup final in 2004 to FC Copenhagen, he deliberately missed opportunities to score against them when AaB and FC Copenhagen met in the final league match because FCK would win the championship (and thereby the double) and land AaB in the UEFA Cup as losing cup finalists.

Format

The 2003–04 season finale between F.C. Copenhagen and AaB in Parken Stadium.

Each club may only have one team in the tournament (their first team). If a match (except one of the two-legged semifinals, except if the 2nd match's result gives an aggregate tie, including the away goals rule) ends in a tie, two fifteen-minute extra time periods will be played, with penalty kicks if the tie remains after the extra time.

The participants

The teams are not seeded, but the lowest placed team from the previous season will always get the home pitch advantage.

Until 2005–06

  • 1st round, 64 teams
  • 2nd round, 32+8 teams
    • 32 teams from the 1st round (winners)
    • 8 teams from the 1st division (9th–16th placed)
  • 3rd round, 20+8 teams
    • 20 teams from the 2nd round
    • 6 teams from the 1st division (3rd–8th placed)
    • 2 teams from the Superliga (11th–12th, the relegated teams which are now in the 1st division)
  • 4th round, 14+6 teams
    • 14 teams from the 3rd round
    • 4 teams from the Superliga (7th–10th)
    • 2 teams from the 1st division (1st–2nd, the promoted teams which are now in the Superliga)
  • 5th round, 10+6 teams
    • 10 teams from the 4th round
    • 6 teams from the Superliga (1st–6th)
  • Quarterfinals, 8 teams
    • 8 teams from the 5th round

– and so on until the finals.

From 2006–07

  • 1st round, 88 teams
  • 2nd round, 44+12 teams
    • 44 teams from the 1st round (winners)
    • 4 teams from the 1st division (1st–4th placed)
    • 8 teams from the Superliga (5th–12th placed).
  • 3rd round, 28+4 teams
    • 28 teams from the 2nd round
    • 4 teams from the Superliga (1st–4th placed)
  • 4th round, 16 teams
    • 16 teams from the 3rd round
  • Quarterfinals, 8 teams
    • 8 teams from the 4th round

– and so on until the finals.

From 2021–22

  • 1st round, 92 teams
  • 2nd round, 46+6 teams
    • 46 teams from the 1st round (winners)
    • 6 teams from the Superliga (5th–12th placed).
  • 3rd round, 26+6 teams
    • 26 teams from the 2nd round
    • 6 teams from the Superliga (1st–6th placed)
  • 4th round, 16 teams
    • 16 teams from the 3rd round
  • Quarterfinals, 8 teams
    • 8 teams from the 4th round

– and so on until the finals.

Finals

Season Final[1][2]
Winner (title no.) Score Runner-up Man of the Match (Pokalfighter)[3][4] Stadium Attendance
Landspokalturneringen
1954–55 AGF 4 – 0 Aalborg Chang Aage Rou Jensen, AGF Idrætsparken 10,300
1955–56 Frem 1 – 0 AB Bent Jørgensen, Frem Idrætsparken 23,000
1956–57 AGF (2) 2 – 0 Esbjerg fB John Amdisen, AGF Idrætsparken 25,800
1957–58 Vejle 3 – 2 KB Knud Herbert Sørensen, Vejle Idrætsparken 28,600
1958–59 Vejle (2) 1 – 1 (a.e.t.) AGF Erling Sørensen, Vejle Idrætsparken 33,000
Replay: 1 – 0 — Idrætsparken 17,700
1959–60 AGF (3) 2 – 0 Frem Sakskøbing Vagn Hansen, Frem Sakskøbing Idrætsparken 17,500
1960–61 AGF (4) 2 – 0 KB John Amdisen, AGF Idrætsparken 33,500
1961–62 B 1909 1 – 0 Esbjerg fB Bruno Eliasen, B 1909 Idrætsparken 18,000
1962–63 B 1913 2 – 1 Køge Hans Andersen, Køge Idrætsparken 10,900
1963–64 Esbjerg fB 2 – 1 Odense KFUM Carl Bertelsen, Esbjerg fB Idrætsparken 24,500
1964–65 AGF (5) 1 – 0 KB Frank Johansen, KB Idrætsparken 18,600
1965–66 AaB 3 – 1 (a.e.t.) KB Leif Skov, AaB Idrætsparken 18,600
1966–67 Randers Freja 1 – 0 AaB Jørgen Rasmussen, Randers Freja Idrætsparken 13,700
1967–68 Randers Freja (2) 3 – 1 Vejle Per Gaardsøe, Randers Freja Idrætsparken 15,200
1968–69 KB 3 – 0 Frem Flemming Pedersen, KB Idrætsparken 18,500
1969–70 AaB (2) 2 – 1 Lyngby Carsten Aagaard, Lyngby Idrætsparken 18,200
1970–71 B 1909 (2) 1 – 0 Frem Arno Hansen, B 1909 Idrætsparken 23,700
1971–72 Vejle (3) 2 – 0 Fremad Amager Tonny Hartvig Nielsen, Fremad Amager Idrætsparken 20,200
1972–73 Randers Freja (3) 2 – 0 B 1901 Helge Vonsyld, Randers Freja Idrætsparken 21,800
1973–74 Vanløse IF[n 1] 5 – 2 OB Per Bartram, OB Idrætsparken 20,000
1974–75 Vejle (4) 1 – 0 Holbæk B&I Niels Tune, Holbæk B&I Idrætsparken 26,300
1975–76 Esbjerg fB (2) 2 – 1 Holbæk B&I Jens Jørn Bertelsen, Esbjerg fB Idrætsparken 23,500
1976–77 Vejle (5) 2 – 1 B 1909 Henning Andersen, B 1909 Idrætsparken 13,100
1977–78 Frem (2) 1 – 1 (a.e.t.) Esbjerg fB Erik Jespersen, Esbjerg fB Idrætsparken 12,700
Replay: 1 – 1 (a.e.t.) — Idrætsparken 1,800
Replay: 1 – 1 (a.e.t., 5 – 4 pen.) Idrætsparken 2,300
1978–79 B 1903 1 – 0 Køge Peter Poulsen, Køge Idrætsparken 9,800
1979–80 Hvidovre IF 5 – 3 Lyngby Michael Christensen, Hvidovre IF Idrætsparken 23,500
1980–81 Vejle (6) 2 – 1 Frem Poul Erik Østergaard, Vejle Idrætsparken 17,500
1981–82 B 93 3 – 3 (a.e.t.) B 1903 Ole Pedersen, B 93 Idrætsparken 7,600
Replay: 1 – 0 — Idrætsparken 5,300
1982–83 OB 3 – 0 B 1901 Morten Donnerup, OB Idrætsparken 7,700
1983–84 Lyngby 2 – 1 KB Bo Fosgaard, KB Idrætsparken 25,800
1984–85 Lyngby (2) 3 – 2 Esbjerg fB Henrik Nielsen, Esbjerg fB Idrætsparken 9,200
1985–86 B 1903 (2) 2 – 1 Ikast fS Sigurd Kristensen, Ikast fS Idrætsparken 5,600
1986–87 AGF (6) 3 – 0 AaB Karsten Christensen, AGF Idrætsparken 6,300
1987–88 AGF (7) 2 – 1 (a.e.t.) Brøndby IF Troels Rasmussen, AGF Idrætsparken 20,000
1988–89 Brøndby IF 6 – 3 (a.e.t.) Ikast fS Klaus Granlund, Ikast fS Idrætsparken 11,600
Giro Cup
1989–90 Lyngby (3) 0 – 0 (a.e.t.) AGF Henrik Larsen, Lyngby Idrætsparken 8,600
Replay: 6 – 1 — Idrætsparken 2,000
1990–91 OB (2) 0 – 0 (a.e.t.) AaB Keld Bordinggaard, OB Odense Stadion 13,212
Replay: 0 – 0 (a.e.t., 4 – 3 pen.) — Odense Stadion 4,554
1991–92 AGF (8) 3 – 0 B 1903 Bo Harder, AGF Aarhus Idrætspark 20,000
1992–93 OB (3) 2 – 0 AaB Søren Thorst, AaB Parken 9,023
1993–94 Brøndby IF (2) 0 – 0 (a.e.t., 3 – 1 pen.) Næstved IF Jørgen Juul Jensen, Næstved IF Parken 27,069
1994–95 F.C. Copenhagen 5 – 0 AB Carsten V. Jensen, F.C. Copenhagen Parken 20,536
1995–96 AGF (9) 2 – 0 Brøndby IF Stig Tøfting, AGF Parken 36,103
Compaq Cup
1996–97 F.C. Copenhagen (2) 2 – 0 Ikast fS Lars "Mini" Hansen, Ikast fS Parken 17,368
1997–98 Brøndby IF (3) 4 – 1 F.C. Copenhagen John "Faxe" Jensen, Brøndby IF Parken 41,044
1998–99 AB 2 – 1 AaB René Henriksen, AB Parken 25,113
DONG Cup
1999–2000 Viborg 1 – 0 AaB Arek Onyszko, Viborg FF Parken 18,098
2000–01 Silkeborg IF 4 – 1 AB Jan Michaelsen, AB Parken 14,743
2001–02 OB (4) 2 – 1 F.C. Copenhagen Lars Jacobsen, OB Parken 28,481
2002–03 Brøndby IF (4) 3 – 0 FC Midtjylland Kasper Dalgas, Brøndby IF Parken 32,660
2003–04 F.C. Copenhagen (3) 1 – 0 AaB Hjalte Bo Nørregaard, F.C. Copenhagen Parken 38,095
Landspokalturneringen
2004–05 Brøndby IF (5) 3 – 2 (a.e.t.) FC Midtjylland Johan Elmander, Brøndby IF Parken 35,716
2005–06 Randers FC 1 – 0 (a.e.t.) Esbjerg fB Carsten Fredgaard, Randers FC Parken 23,825
2006–07 OB (5) 2 – 1 F.C. Copenhagen Johan Absalonsen, OB Parken 30,013
2007–08 Brøndby IF (6) 3 – 2 Esbjerg fB Samuel Holmén, Brøndby IF Parken 33,154
Ekstra Bladet Cup
2008–09 F.C. Copenhagen (4) 1 – 0 AaB Thomas Augustinussen, AaB Parken 29,249
2009–10 FC Nordsjælland 2 – 0 (a.e.t.) FC Midtjylland Nicolai Stokholm, FC Nordsjælland Parken 18,856
2010–11 FC Nordsjælland (2) 3 – 2 FC Midtjylland Mikkel Thygesen, FC Midtjylland Parken 14,646
DBU Pokalen
2011–12 F.C. Copenhagen (5) 1 – 0 AC Horsens Bryan Oviedo, FC Copenhagen Parken 21,963
2012–13 Esbjerg fB (3) 1 – 0 Randers FC Magnus Lekven, Esbjerg fB Parken 26,194
2013–14 AaB (3) 4 – 2 F.C. Copenhagen Rasmus Thelander, AaB Parken 27,824
2014–15 F.C. Copenhagen (6) 3 – 2 (a.e.t.) FC Vestsjælland Thomas Delaney, F.C. Copenhagen Parken 24,095
2015–16 F.C. Copenhagen (7) 2 – 1 AGF William Kvist, F.C. Copenhagen Parken 35,828
2016–17 F.C. Copenhagen (8) 3 – 1 Brøndby IF Stephan Andersen, F.C. Copenhagen Parken 32,140
2017–18 Brøndby IF (7) 3 – 1 Silkeborg IF Simon Jakobsen, Silkeborg IF Parken 31,027
Sydbank Pokalen
2018–19 FC Midtjylland 1 – 1 (a.e.t., 4 – 3 pen.) Brøndby IF Gustav Wikheim, FC Midtjylland Parken 31,430
2019–20 SønderjyskE 2 – 0 AaB Anders K. Jacobsen, SønderjyskE Esbjerg Stadion 1,750[n 2]
2020–21 Randers FC (2) 4 – 0 SønderjyskE Mathias Greve, Randers FC Aarhus Idrætspark 7,981[n 2]
2021–22 FC Midtjylland (2) 0 – 0 (a.e.t., 4 – 3 pen.) OB Ayo Simon Okosun, OB Brøndby Stadion 23,328
Pokalen
2022–23 F.C. Copenhagen (9) 1 – 0 AaB Lucas Andersen, AaB Parken 34,937
Oddset Pokalen
2023–24 Silkeborg IF (2) 1 – 0 AGF Stefán Teitur Þórðarson, Silkeborg IF[5] Parken 36,300

Results by team

Team # Titles # Runners-up
F.C. Copenhagen 9 1995, 1997, 2004, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2023 4 1998, 2002, 2007, 2014
AGF 9 1955, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1965, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1996 4 1959, 1990, 2016, 2024
Brøndby IF 7 1989, 1994, 1998, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2018 4 1988, 1996, 2017, 2019
Vejle 6 1958, 1959, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1981 1 1968
OB 5 1983, 1991, 1993, 2002, 2007 2 1974, 2022
AaB 3 1966, 1970, 2014 10 1967, 1987, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2009, 2020, 2023
Esbjerg fB 3 1964, 1976, 2013 6 1957, 1962, 1978, 1985, 2006, 2008
Lyngby 3 1984, 1985, 1990 2 1970, 1980
Randers Freja 3 1967, 1968, 1973 0
FC Midtjylland 2 2019, 2022 4 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011
Frem 2 1956, 1978 3 1969, 1971, 1981
B 1903 2 1979, 1986 2 1982, 1992
Silkeborg IF 2 2001, 2024 1 2018
Randers FC 2 2006, 2021 1 2013
B 1909 2 1962, 1971 1 1977
FC Nordsjælland 2 2010, 2011 0
KB 1 1969 5 1958, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1984
AB 1 1999 3 1956, 1995, 2001
SønderjyskE 1 2020 1 2021
Viborg 1 2000 0
B 93 1 1982 0
Hvidovre IF 1 1980 0
Vanløse IF 1 1974 0
B 1913 1 1963 0
Ikast fS 0 3 1986, 1989, 1997
B 1901 0 2 1973, 1983
Køge BK 0 2 1963, 1979
Holbæk B&I 0 2 1975, 1976
FC Vestsjælland 0 1 2015
AC Horsens 0 1 2012
Næstved IF 0 1 1994
Fremad Amager 0 1 1972
Odense KFUM 0 1 1964
Frem Sakskøbing 0 1 1960
Aalborg Chang 0 1 1955

Footnotes

  1. ^ Vanløse played in tier 2 at the time.
  2. ^ a b Played in front of a limited number of spectators because of governmental restrictions owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

  1. ^ "Tidligere vindere". pokalturnering.dk. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Pokalvindere". dbu.dk. Danish FA. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  3. ^ "Pokalfightere 1955-2020". pokalturnering.dk. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Pokalfightere". dbu.dk (in Danish). Danish FA. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  5. ^ "Silkeborg-profil er årets pokalfighter". Tipsbladet.dk (in Danish). 9 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
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