The Taça da Liga (), known outside Portugal as Portuguese League Cup, is an annual club football competition organised by the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional (LPFP) for teams competing in the top two tiers of Portuguese football – the Primeira Liga and Liga Portugal 2. Unlike Portugal's other domestic cup competition, the Taça de Portugal, the winners of the Taça da Liga do not qualify for European competitions.
The Taça da Liga was established in the 2007–08 season, thus becoming the third official competition for professional clubs in Portugal, after a proposal by Sporting CP and Boavista was approved by LPFP members on 28 November 2006. For sponsorship reasons, it is currently known as Allianz Cup (with the English word cup).
Benfica are the most successful team in the competition, having won eight trophies (four of which consecutively between 2009 and 2012). Vitória de Guimarães are the current holders after defeating their Minho rivals Braga 2–1 in the 2026 final to win their first title in the competition.
Format The Taça da Liga format has had changes throughout the competition's history in order to increase the number of matches and also revenue for both clubs and LPFP. Starting in the 2021–22 season, the format is the following:
First round – One-legged ties between all Segunda Liga teams (except reserve or B teams), the ten Primeira Liga teams ranked 7th–16th in the previous season, and the two teams promoted from the Segunda Liga, with the winner advancing to the next round. Second round – One-legged ties between the first-round winners and the two Primeira Liga teams ranked 5th and 6th in the previous season. The winners advance to the next round. Third round – Four groups of three teams played in a single round-robin format, each containing two second-round winners and one of the four top-placed Primeira Liga season teams of the previous season. The group winners advance to the next round. Knockout phase – Semi-finals and final played as one-legged fixtures played at a neutral ground.
For 2022–23, due to fixture congestion surrounding the 2022 FIFA World Cup, all Segunda Liga and Primeira Liga teams (except reserve or B teams) were placed into 8 groups (6 groups of 4 teams and 2 groups of 5 teams), with the group winners advancing to the knockout phase, consisting of quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final. All knockout stage games are one-legged fixtures, with the semi-finals and finals still played at a neutral ground. All group stage games and the quarter-finals were played during the international break surrounding the World Cup.
Finals SeasonWinnersScoreRunners-upDateVenue 2007–08Vitória de Setúbal 0–0 (3–2 p)Sporting CP22 March 2008Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé 2008–09Benfica 1–1 (3–2 p)Sporting CP21 March 2009 2009–10Benfica (2) 3–0Porto21 March 2010 2010–11Benfica (3) 2–1Paços de Ferreira23 April 2011Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, Coimbra 2011–12Benfica (4) 2–1Gil Vicente14 April 2012 2012–13Braga 1–0Porto13 April 2013 2013–14Benfica (5) 2–0Rio Ave7 May 2014Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Leiria 2014–15Benfica (6) 2–1Marítimo29 May 2015Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, Coimbra 2015–16Benfica (7) 6–2Marítimo20 May 2016 2016–17Moreirense 1–0Braga29 January 2017Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé 2017–18Sporting CP 1–1 (5–4 p)Vitória de Setúbal27 January 2018Estádio Municipal de Braga, Braga 2018–19Sporting CP (2) 1–1 (3–1 p)Porto26 January 2019 2019–20Braga (2) 1–0Porto25 January 2020 2020–21Sporting CP (3) 1–0Braga23 January 2021Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Leiria 2021–22Sporting CP (4) 2–1Benfica29 January 2022 2022–23Porto 2–0Sporting CP28 January 2023 2023–24Braga (3)1–1 (5–4 p)Estoril27 January 2024 2024–25Benfica (8)1–1 (7–6 p)Sporting CP11 January 2025 2025–26Vitória de Guimarães2–1 Braga10 January 2026
Performance by club ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning yearsRunner-up years Benfica 8 1 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2025 2022 Sporting CP 4 4 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 2008, 2009, 2023, 2025 Braga 3 3 2013, 2020, 2024 2017, 2021, 2026 Porto 1 4 2023 2010, 2013, 2019, 2020 Vitória de Setúbal 1 1 2008 2018 Moreirense 1 0 2017 Vitória de Guimarães 1 0 2026 Marítimo 0 2 2015, 2016 Paços de Ferreira 0 1 2011 Gil Vicente 0 1 2012 Rio Ave 0 1 2014 Estoril 0 1 2024
Participating clubs
TeamCityYearsFirst seasonLast seasonTitlesRunners-up1BenficaLisbon2020082027812Sporting CPLisbon2020082027443BragaBraga2020082027334PortoPorto2020082027145Vitória de Setúbal Setúbal1320082020116Vitória de GuimarãesGuimarães1920082026107MoreirenseGuimarães1420112025108MarítimoFunchal1720082027029EstorilEstoril17200820240110Paços de FerreiraPaços de Ferreira17200820240111Rio AveVila do Conde16200820240112Gil VicenteBarcelos16200820270113Santa ClaraPonta Delgada18200820260014NacionalFunchal17200820250015FeirenseSanta Maria da Feira16200820240015LeixõesMatosinhos16200820240015PortimonensePortimão16200820240018PenafielPenafiel15200820240019AcadémicaCoimbra14200820220019Sporting da CovilhãCovilhã14200920230021Desportivo das AvesVila das Aves13200820200021OliveirenseOliveira de Azeméis13200920240023BelenensesLisbon12200820240023AroucaArouca12201120240023TondelaTondela12201320260026ChavesChaves11201020240026Académico de ViseuViseu11201420270028OlhanenseOlhão10200820170028VarzimPóvoa de Varzim10200820220028TrofenseTrofa10200820230028BoavistaPorto10200820240032FamalicãoVila Nova de Famalicão9201620270033Beira-MarAveiro8200820150033FreamundeFreamunde8200820170033FarenseFaro8201420240036União da MadeiraFunchal7201220180036MafraMafra7201620240038NavalFigueira da Foz6200820130038União de LeiriaLeiria6200820240038VizelaVizela6200820240041Atlético CPLisbon5201220160041Estrela da AmadoraAmadora5200820240043Cova da PiedadeCova da Piedade4201720200043B-SADLisbon4201920230043Casa PiaLisbon4202020240046FátimaFátima3200820110046VilafranquenseVila Franca de Xira3202020230048GondomarGondomar2200820090048OrientalLisbon2201520160048TorreenseTorres Vedras2202320240051CarregadoCarregado1201020100051FafeFafe1201720170051RealQueluz1201820180051AVSVila das Aves1202420240051VilaverdenseVila Verde1202420240051AlvercaAlverca12026202600
Players statistics Appearances
RankNat.PlayerAppsGoalsYearsClubs1Jardel4312009–2021Estoril, Olhanense, Benfica2Tarantini4152007–2021Portimonense, Rio Ave3Ricardo Esgaio3902012–2025Sporting CP, Académica, Braga4Gilberto Silva3832007–2023Boavista, Covilhã5Ukra3732007–2023Varzim, Olhanense, FC Porto, Braga, Rio Ave, Santa ClaraPizzi3792009–2024Covilhã, Paços Ferreira, Benfica, BragaPaulinho37212012–2024Trofense, Gil Vicente, Braga, Sporting CP8Filipe Gonçalves3632007–2020Vitória Setúbal, Paços Ferreira, Trofense, Moreirense, Estoril, Oliveirense9Ricardo Pessoa3572007–2018Portimonense, MoreirenseJoão Pedro3542007–2022Beira-Mar, União de Leiria, Oliveirense, Naval, Braga Belenenses, Moreirense, Académica
Bold = Still active and playing in Portugal
Goalscorers All-time top scorers
RankNat.PlayerGoalsGamesYearsClubs1Paulinho21372012–2024Trofense, Gil Vicente, Braga, Sporting CP2Tozé Marreco12252010–Desportivo das Aves, União da Madeira, Naval, Tondela, Académica3Liédson11132007–2013Sporting CP, Porto4Jonas10152014–2019Benfica5Hélder Guedes9342007–2018Penafiel, Paços de Ferreira, Rio Ave, Vitória SetúbalLima9162009–2015Belenenses, Braga, BenficaRabiola9162007–2015Porto, Desportivo das Aves, PenafielDyego Sousa9212010–2019Leixões, Tondela, Portimonense Marítimo, BragaEdinho9222007–2020Marítimo, Académica, Braga, Vitória de Setúbal, FeirenseMiguel Rosa9252008–2022Estoril, Carregado, Belenenses, Cova da Piedade, Estrela da AmadoraClemente9272007–2019Chaves, Oliveirense, Santa ClaraPizzi9372009–2024Covilhã, Paços Ferreira, Benfica, Braga
Bold = Still active and playing in Portugal
Goalscorers by seasons SeasonPlayerCountryClubGoals 2007–08Matheus BrazilVitória de Setúbal 5 2008–09Liédson BrazilSporting CP 4 2009–10Carlão BrazilUnião de Leiria 3 2010–11Hugo Vieira PortugalGil Vicente 5 2011–12Baba Diawara SenegalMarítimo 4Rodrigo SpainBenficaMiguel Rosa PortugalBelenenses 2012–13Fabrício BrazilSporting da Covilhã 5Josué PortugalPaços de FerreiraRafael Porcellis BrazilSanta ClaraRabiola PortugalDesportivo das Aves 2013–14Tozé Marreco PortugalTondela 3Jackson Martínez ColombiaPortoMoreira PortugalLeixõesRicardo Pessoa PortugalPortimonenseWágner BrazilMoreirense 2014–15JonasBenfica 5 2015–16André CarvalhasPortimonense 4Raúl JiménezBenficaTaliscaBenfica 2016–17WelthonPaços de Ferreira 4 2017–18Gonçalo PaciênciaVitória de Setúbal 5 2018–19PaulinhoBraga 4Dyego SousaBraga 2019–20Ricardo HortaBraga 4SoaresPorto2020–21PaulinhoBraga 3 2021–22Gustavo SauerBoavista 42022–23PaulinhoSporting CP 82023–24ClaytonCasa Pia 42024–25Viktor GyökeresSporting CP 42025–26Alioune NdoyeVitória SC3
Sponsorship Since its inception (except in the period between 2011 and 2015) the Taça da Liga has had the following naming sponsors meaning it has been known by different names:
PeriodSponsorName2007–2010CarlsbergCarlsberg Cup2010–2011BwinBwin Cup2011–2015No main sponsorTaça da Liga2015–2018CTTTaça CTT2018–AllianzAllianz Cup
Records
Most tournament wins (team): 8 wins, Benfica Most final appearances (team): 9, Benfica Most tournament wins (player): 7, Luisão for Benfica; Most final appearances: (individual): 6, Luisão for Benfica (2009–11, 2014–16) Most matches (team): 72, Sporting Most matches (individual): 43, Jardel Most game wins (team): 46, Benfica Most goals (team): 143, Benfica Highest goalscorer (career): 21 goals, Paulinho Highest goalscorer (season): 5 goals, by Matheus for Vitória de Setúbal (2007–08), Hugo Vieira for Gil Vicente (2010–11) and Jonas for Benfica (2014–15) Most goals scored in a match (individual): 4 goals, by Rabiola for Desportivo das Aves vs Trofense, 29 July 2012 Biggest win: Sporting CP 6–0 União da Madeira, third round, 20 December 2017 Biggest win in a final: Marítimo 2–6 Benfica, 20 May 2016 Highest scoring game: 8 goals, Belenenses 5–3 Leixões, first round, 7 August 2011 and Marítimo 2–6 Benfica, final, 20 May 2016 Most penalties in a deciding penalty shoot-out: 20 – Vitória de Guimarães 6–7 Sporting CP (27 September 2007) Youngest goalscorer in the final: Bruno Pereirinha, 20 years and 19 days, for Sporting CP vs Benfica, 2009 Youngest player in the final: Geovany Quenda, 17 years, 8 months and 13 days for Sporting CP vs Benfica, 2025 Youngest captain in the final: João Moutinho, 21 years, 6 months and 14 days for Sporting CP vs Vitória de Setúbal, 2008
See also Taça de Portugal Taça Ribeiro dos Reis (unofficial predecessor organized by the Portuguese Football Federation) Taça Federação Portuguesa de Futebol (another predecessor organized by the Portuguese Football Federation) List of association football competitions in Portugal List of Taça da Liga winning managers
References
External links
Portugal – List of League Cup Finals, RSSSF.com