KNVB Cup facts for kids
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| Founded | 1898 |
|---|---|
| Region | Netherlands |
| Number of teams | 110 |
| Qualifier for | UEFA Europa League |
| Domestic cup(s) | Johan Cruyff Shield |
| Current champions | Feyenoord (14th title) |
| Most successful club(s) | Ajax (20 titles) |
| Television broadcasters | ESPN |
The KNVB Beker (also known as the KNVB Cup or the Dutch Cup) is a big football competition in the Netherlands. It's organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) and has been running since 1898. This tournament is similar to the English FA Cup.
Teams from the top four Dutch football leagues play in the KNVB Cup. This includes teams from the Eredivisie, Eerste Divisie, Tweede Divisie, and Derde Divisie. Also, 24 semi-finalists from the six KNVB District Cups get to join. The final match is usually played at De Kuip stadium. The team that wins the KNVB Cup gets to play against the winner of the Eredivisie (the top Dutch league) for the Johan Cruyff Shield. This match kicks off the new football season.
Contents
History of the KNVB Cup
The idea for the KNVB Cup came up in a meeting of the Dutch Football Association on January 19, 1898. The very first tournament started in the 1898–99 season.
First Winners
The first final match was played on May 9, 1899. RAP Amsterdam played against HVV Den Haag. RAP Amsterdam won the game 1–0 after extra time, thanks to a goal from Julius Hisgen.
The Trophy
In 1946, the KNVB Cup trophy was changed to one made of silver. This was special because silver was hard to find right after World War II. This silver trophy is still used today. In 2018, a new gold-colored trophy was made to celebrate the 100th edition of the tournament.
Cup Name Changes
Like many sports competitions, the KNVB Cup's name has changed over time because of sponsors.
- From 1995, it was called the Amstel Cup after the Amstel company.
- On August 16, 2005, it became the Gatorade Cup after the drinks company Gatorade.
- In 2006, the name went back to KNVB Beker, but Gatorade stayed as a main sponsor.
- Since January 12, 2018, the competition has been known as the TOTO KNVB Beker because of a sponsorship deal with TOTO.
Playing in Europe
Winning the KNVB Cup is a big deal because it allows the winning team to play in a European competition.
- Before 1998, the winner would enter the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
- Now, the KNVB Cup winner gets a spot in the UEFA Europa League.
- If the team that wins the KNVB Cup also finishes high enough in the Eredivisie to get into the UEFA Champions League, then their Europa League spot goes to another team from the Eredivisie.
For example, in 1998, both KNVB Cup finalists, Ajax and PSV, qualified for the Champions League. So, the two teams that lost in the semi-finals, SC Heerenveen and FC Twente, played an extra match to decide who would get the Cup Winners' Cup spot.
Past KNVB Cup Finals
Many different teams have won the KNVB Cup over the years. The first winner was RAP Amsterdam in 1899. More recently, Feyenoord won the cup in 2024. The final match is almost always played at De Kuip stadium, which is a very famous football ground in the Netherlands.
Most Successful Teams
Some clubs have won the KNVB Cup many times. Here are the teams with the most titles:
| Club | Titles | Runners-up | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ajax | 20 | 8 | 1917, 1943, 1961, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2019, 2021 |
| Feyenoord | 14 | 4 | 1930, 1935, 1965, 1969, 1980, 1984, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2008, 2016, 2018, 2024 |
| PSV Eindhoven | 11 | 8 | 1950, 1974, 1976, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1996, 2005, 2012, 2022, 2023 |
| AZ | 4 | 3 | 1978, 1981, 1982, 2013 |
| Quick (H) | 4 | – | 1909, 1910, 1911, 1916 |
| FC Twente | 3 | 4 | 1977, 2001, 2011 |
| FC Utrecht | 3 | 3 | 1985, 2003, 2004 |
| Sparta Rotterdam | 3 | 2 | 1958, 1962, 1966 |
| HFC | 3 | – | 1904, 1913, 1915 |
| ADO Den Haag | 2 | 6 | 1968, 1975 |
| HBS Craeyenhout | 2 | 5 | 1901, 1908 |
| Roda JC | 2 | 4 | 1997, 2000 |
| Haarlem | 2 | 3 | 1902, 1912 |
| DFC | 2 | 2 | 1914, 1932 |
| VOC Rotterdam | 2 | 2 | 1905, 1907 |
| Willem II | 2 | 2 | 1944, 1963 |
| Fortuna'54 | 2 | – | 1957, 1964 |
| Wageningen | 2 | – | 1939, 1948 |
| RCH | 2 | – | 1918, 1928 |
| Vitesse | 1 | 4 | 2017 |
| PEC Zwolle | 1 | 3 | 2014 |
| NAC Breda | 1 | 3 | 1973 |
| HVV Den Haag | 1 | 3 | 1903 |
| Heerenveen | 1 | 2 | 2009 |
| FC Groningen | 1 | 1 | 2015 |
| VSV | 1 | 1 | 1938 |
| VUC Den Haag | 1 | 1 | 1927 |
| RAP Amsterdam | 1 | 1 | 1899 |
| VVV | 1 | – | 1959 |
| Quick 1888 | 1 | – | 1949 |
| FC Eindhoven | 1 | – | 1937 |
| Roermond | 1 | – | 1936 |
| Velocitas Groningen | 1 | – | 1934 |
| LONGA | 1 | – | 1926 |
| ZFC | 1 | – | 1925 |
| Schoten | 1 | – | 1921 |
| CVV | 1 | – | 1920 |
| Concordia | 1 | – | 1906 |
| Velocitas Breda | 1 | – | 1900 |
Watching the Games
You can watch the KNVB Cup matches on TV. In the Netherlands, the games are shown live on ESPN channels. Other countries also broadcast the matches.
See also
In Spanish: Copa de los Países Bajos para niños
