In association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946–47 and was entitled the Scottish League Cup. However, in the Republic of Ireland the now defunct League of Ireland Shield was the first national league-only tournament of its kind; this was subsequently replaced by the League of Ireland Cup in 1983.
The creation of a League Cup marked the difference from the Association Cup or Primary Cup, which is generally also open to teams from multiple leagues, often as far down as regional amateur leagues, and who are also members of the country's football association.
The creation of a tournament of this kind exclusively for the top national-level league teams, in addition to the two main domestic association football tournaments of the league and association cup, also created a new national footballing achievement called the domestic "treble". The first national league treble of this kind was won by Shamrock Rovers of the Republic of Ireland in 1925.
League cups were generally introduced after the Second World War - for example, the Football League Cup in England in 1960 - although in other countries they were created following a rise in the number of floodlit stadiums, allowing regular midweek matches.
In certain countries, the League Cup had, or in some cases still has, group stages in the early stages. These often opened the season before the main league season began.
List of League Cups and Secondary Cups[]
Asia[]
Hong Kong[]
- Hong Kong League Cup
India[]
- Federation Cup
Japan[]
- J. League Cup
Malaysia[]
- Malaysia Cup
Singapore[]
- Singapore League Cup
Thailand[]
- Thai League Cup
Africa[]
South Africa[]
- Telkom Knockout
Europe[]
England[]
Men[]
- EFL Cup, formerly the Football League Cup
- EFL Trophy, formerly the Football League Trophy
- Isthmian League Cup
- Northern Premier League Challenge Cup
- Northern Premier League President's Cup
- Southern Football League Cup
Women[]
Finland[]
- Finnish League Cup
France[]
Gibraltar[]
- Gibraltar Premier Cup
Iceland[]
Republic of Ireland[]
Israel[]
- Toto Cup
Northern Ireland[]
- Irish League Cup
Portugal[]
- Taça da Liga
Romania[]
- Cupa Ligii
Scotland[]
- Scottish League Cup
- Scottish League Challenge Cup
Wales[]
North America[]
Trinidad and Tobago[]
- Trinidad and Tobago League Cup
Defunct League Cups[]
Asia[]
Template:Country data China PR China PR[]
- Chinese Super League Cup
Japan[]
- Japan Soccer League Cup
South Korea[]
- Korean League Cup
Africa[]
Tunisia[]
- Tunisia Coupe de la Ligue Professionel
Europe[]
Belgium[]
Denmark[]
- Spar Cup
- Danish League Cup
- Viasat Cup
East Germany[]
- Olympia-Pokal (1964)
- Fuwo-Pokal (1972)
- DFV-Toto-Sonderrunde (1974 & 1976)
England[]
- Full Members Cup
- Super Cup
- Centenary Trophy
- Conference League Cup
France[]
- Coupe Charles Drago
Germany[]
Greece[]
- Greek League Cup
Norway[]
- Norwegian League Cup
Poland[]
Portugal[]
- Federation Cup
Russia[]
- Russian Premier League Cup
- FNL Cup
Scotland[]
- Saint Mungo Cup
- Scottish Summer Cup
- Southern League Cup
Spain[]
- Copa de la Liga
Switzerland[]
Turkey[]
- Spor Toto Cup
Ukraine[]
- Ukrainian League Cup
USSR[]
- USSR Federation Cup
Wales[]
Women's League Cups[]
England[]
Scotland[]
- Scottish Premier League Cup
| National football league cups around the world (FIFA) |
| Active |
|
England · France · Hong Kong · Iceland · India · Israel · Japan · Latvia · Malaysia · Northern Ireland · Philippines · Portugal · Republic of Ireland · Romania · Scotland · Singapore · South Africa · Thailand · Trinidad and Tobago · United Arab Emirates · Wales |
| Defunct |
|
Belgium · China · Denmark · Finland · Germany · Gibraltar · Greece · Hungary · Japan (JSL) · Korea Republic · Poland · Russia · Spain · Switzerland · Tunisia · Turkey · Ukraine · USSR |