About Super Taca

History, Format, Organization, Media Coverage

The Portuguese Super Cup, or Supertaça Cándido de Oliveira, is a single-leg match that kicks off each season in Portuguese football. This tournament is contested by the winner of the previous season’s Primeira Liga and the Taça de Portugal (Portuguese Cup) champions, with the game held at a neutral venue. If one team wins both competitions, the cup runners-up are then invited to play for the title.

The competition was founded in 1979 but this came after a failed attempt in the 1943-44 season to establish a Super Cup. Lisbon powerhouses Sporting CP and Benfica contested that tie but despite the promise to continue, this tournament was eventually cancelled.

The Super Cup was unofficially relaunched in 1978-79, with Porto, the then Primeira Liga holders, facing then Taça de Portugal champions Boavista. The second edition saw the return of the Dérbi de Lisboa, with Benfica and Sporting CP locking horns on this stage once more. The tournament was eventually officialized by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF).

In its early years, the Supertaça Cándido de Oliveira was contested over two legs, and had the game ended in an aggregate draw, a replay would be staged at a neutral ground. However, in the 2000-01 season, the Portuguese Football Federation changed this two-legged event into a one-off match at a neutral venue.

In terms of broadcasting, the Portuguese Super Cup has room to grow. Nonetheless, this competition has garnered the interest of fans worldwide. For example, the 2020 edition, which was delayed until late December due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was aired in the UK by the BBC, with fans tuning in to BBC iPlayer, Red Button, and the BBC Sport website to catch Porto’s 2-0 victory over Benfica. Three years later, these two continental giants locked horns in this event, with the Eagles triumphing 2-0 in a game aired live on TV in the USA by RTP Internacional, which was also available via the live streaming platform on FuboTV. The TV rights cycle for the Super Taca for the years 2023 and 2024 in Portugal have been awarded to RTP.