About Mittelrheinpokal

History, Format, Organization, Media Coverage

The Middle Rhine Cup, or "Mittelrheinpokal" in German, is a football cup competition for clubs in the Middle Rhine region of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Established in 1993 and administered by the Middle Rhine Football Association, the tournament features a single-elimination format.

Eligible teams include local clubs not competing in fully professional leagues, meaning Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga sides cannot participate. However, teams from the 3. Liga and Regionalliga qualify automatically, along with those competing in local cup competitions.

The Middle Rhine Cup season typically kicks off in October and concludes in May or June, with 32 teams participating. The tournament winner earns a spot in the DFB-Pokal, Germany’s most prestigious knockout cup competition.

Since 2008, reserve teams have not been allowed to compete in the Mittelrheinpokal, though Bayer Leverkusen II won five titles between 1996 and 2007. Alemannia Aachen and FC Viktoria Köln have also been successful, with Viktoria Köln claiming seven titles from 2013 to 2023.