Domestic cup

A domestic cup (also known as association cup or national cup) is a type of sports tournament, particularly common in association football. This tournament type is notable for its participation by professional and amateur teams from many levels of a country's league system. The structure of the competition varies but is usually a knockout format and is typically organized by the country's governing body for the sport (football association). The oldest of such tournament was England's FA Cup, first played in 1871.

Format
The format of domestic cups vary from country to country but they usually share many characteristics. The tournament is typically a knockout format where matchups can be played as a single match or a two-legged tie. Teams may enter the tournament in different rounds depending on their league rank. Lower ranked teams would enter in earlier rounds or in a qualifier for the main tournament. A domestic cup will be played over several months and runs concurrently with the league season. The winner of a domestic cup may qualify to a super cup or a continental competition.