The Rhineland Cup (German: Rheinlandpokal) is one of the 21 regional cup competitions of German football. The winner of the competition gains entry to the first round of the German Cup. It is limited to clubs from the northern part of Rhineland-Palatinate, however, teams from the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga are not permitted to compete. It is one of two cup competitions in the state, the other being the South West Cup, which covers roughly the southern half of the state.

The competition is sponsored by the Bitburger brewery and carries the name Bitburger-Verbandspokal. In the past, it was sponsored by Oddset (Sports betting) and named Oddset-Pokal. It is operated by theRhineland Football Association, the Fußballverband Rheinland, or FVR.

The competition does not cover the whole of the historical region of Rhineland, only a part of it.

History The Cup was established in 1953. The Rhineland Cup is played annually.

From 1974 onwards, the winner of the South West Cup qualified for the first round of the German Cup.

Since the establishment of the 3. Liga in 2008, reserve teams can not take part in the German Cup anymore, but are permitted to play in the regional competitions.

Modus Clubs from fully professional leagues are not permitted to enter the competition, meaning, no teams from the Bundesliga and the 2. Bundesliga can compete. The fact that professional clubs were never permitted to compete in the competition accounts for the regions most successful club, Eintracht Trier, not taking out the cup until after it was relegated from professional football in 1973.

All clubs from the Rhineland playing in the 3. Liga (III), Regionalliga West (IV), Oberliga Südwest (V), Verbandsliga Rheinland (VI) and the three Bezirksligas (VII) gain direct entry to the first round. Additionally, the best teams out of the regional Kreis (District) cup competitions also qualify for the first round. The lower classed team always receives home advantage, except in the final, which is played on neutral ground.

Cup finals Held annually at the end of season, these were the cup finals since 1954:

Season Location Winner Finalist Result Attendance 1953–54 Bad Ems SpVgg Höhr-Grenzhausen SV Niederlahnstein 2–0 1954–55 Neuwied Metternich Andernach Fortuna Kottenheim TuS Montabaur 2–2 aet 4–4 aet 1–0 1955–56 Andernach SC 07 Bad Neuenahr SV Niederlahnstein 3–3 aet 6–4 aet 1956–57 Simmern FC Germania Metternich TuS Mayen 4–4 1 1957–58 Betzdorf Sportfreunde Herdorf SV Niederfischbach 3–1 1958–59 Neuwied VfB Wissen SC Rhein/Ahr Sinzig 2–1 1959–60 Wissen Sportfreunde Herdorf SC Rhein/Ahr Sinzig 3–1 1960–61 Neuwied VfB Wissen SV Ehrang 8–0 1961–62 Andernach SC Rhein/Ahr Sinzig FV Rübenach 4–1 1962–63 Bad Marienberg FC Horchheim SV Elkenroth 1–0 1963–64 Neuwied SpVgg Andernach TuS Mayen 3–2 aet 1964–65 Bad Marienberg VfL Trier SV Elkenroth 1–0 1965–66 Montabaur TuS Mayen Sportfreunde Herdorf 1–0 1966–67 Neuwied SSV Mülheim FV Engers 7–0 1967–68 Mülheim FC Germania Metternich SC Sinzig 2–1 1968–69 Andernach Sinzig SC 07 Bad Neuenahr FC Alemannia Plaidt 2–2 aet 3–0 1969–70 Neuwied Bad Neuenahr SC Rhein/AhrSinzig FV Engers 2–2 aet 5–1 1970–71 Metternich SC Oberlahnstein VfB Wissen 3–2 1971–72 Metternich VfB Lützel SSV Mülheim 1–0 1972–73 Bendorf SpVgg Andernach VfB Wissen 2–0 1973–74 Bitburg TuS Mayen Eintracht Trier 1–0 1974–75 not held 1975–76 Neuwied TuS Mayen SpVgg Andernach 3–0 1976–77 Bendorf SG Ellingen/Bonefeld Sportfreunde Eisbachtal 2–1 1977–78 Neuwied TuS Neuendorf SpVgg EGC Wirges 1–0 1978–79 Neuwied TuS Neuendorf Sportfreunde Eisbachtal 4–1 1979–80 Metternich Sportfreunde Eisbachtal TSV Lehmen/Kattenes 3–1 1980–81 Andernach SV Leiwen VfL Hamm 2–1 1981–82 Wissen Eintracht Trier VfB Wissen 2–2 aet (5–2 pen) 1982–83 Bendorf SG Ellingen/Bonefeld FSV Salmrohr 1–1 aet (7–6 pen) 1983–84 Hermeskeil Eintracht Trier FSV Salmrohr 2–1 1984–85 Mayen Eintracht Trier Sportfreunde Eisbachtal 3–0 1985–86 Mayen VfL Hamm FSV Salmrohr 2–0 1986–87 Mayen VfL Hamm SV Leiwen 2–1 1987–88 Trier FC Bitburg FSV Salmrohr 6–5 aet 1988–89 Neuwied FSV Salmrohr VfL Hamm 2–1 1989–90 Emmelshausen Eintracht Trier Sportfreunde Daaden 4–1 1990–91 Plaidt SpVgg EGC Wirges Eintracht Trier 2–0 450 1991–92 Leiwen FSV Salmrohr Eintracht Trier 2–1 2,500 1992–93 Polch FSV Salmrohr Sportfreunde Eisbachtal 3–1 1993–94 Klausen FSV Salmrohr SV Wittlich 2–2 aet (6–3 pen) 1,000 1994–95 Bitburg FSV Salmrohr Eintracht Trier 3–0 2,000 1995–96 Leiwen FSV Salmrohr Eintracht Trier 1–0 900 1996–97 Emmelshausen, 4 June 1997 Eintracht Trier FV Rheinbrohl 2–1 700 1997–98 Polch Sportfreunde Eisbachtal SV Prüm 2–0 700 1998–99 Mayen VfL Hamm Eintracht Trier 2–0 300 1999–2000 Hachenburg, 31 May 2000 VfL Hamm SpVgg EGC Wirges 3–0 1,300 2000–01 Salmrohr, 30 May 2001 Eintracht Trier TuS Koblenz 1–1 aet (6–4 pen) 1,000 2001–02 Darscheid, 29 May 2002 FSV Salmrohr TuS Koblenz 2–1 1,500 2002–03 Darscheid, 28 May 2003 SpVgg EGC Wirges Eintracht Trier II 5–2 750 2003–04 Mülheim-Kärlich, 19 May 2004 TuS Mayen SG Betzdorf 1–1 aet (4–1 pen) 1,650 2004–05 Wirges, 25 May 2005 TuS Koblenz SG Roßbach/Verscheid 2–0 2,500 2005–06 Bad Ems, 31 May 2006 TuS Koblenz SG Roßbach/Verscheid 2–0 2,100 2006–07 Kruft, 7 June 2007 Eintracht Trier TuS Oberwinter 2–1 aet 2,000 2007–08 Salmrohr Eintracht Trier TuS Koblenz II 2–0 2008–09 Polch, 10 June 2009 Eintracht Trier SV Roßbach/Verscheid 2–0 aet 2,400 2009–10 Emmelshausen, 2 June 2010 Eintracht Trier Spvgg Burgbrohl 2–1 1,200 2010–11 25 May 2011 Eintracht Trier TuS Koblenz 2–0 2011–12 Emmelshausen, 30 May 2012 SV Roßbach/Verscheid TuS Mayen 2–0 2012–13 Salmrohr, 29 May 2013 Eintracht Trier FSV Salmrohr 4–0 2013–14 Trier, 28 May 2014 Eintracht Trier SG Altenkirchen 3–0 2014–15 Polch, 3 June 2015 FSV Salmrohr Spvgg Burgbrohl 1–1 (5–4 pen) 2,081 2015–16 Wissen, 28 May 2016 Eintracht Trier SG HWW Niederroßbach 5–1 1,766 2016–17 Salmtal, 25 May 2017 TuS Koblenz Eintracht Trier 2–1 4,112 2017–18 Koblenz, 21 May 2018 TuS Rot-Weiss Koblenz TuS Koblenz 2–0 2018–19 Bad Neuenahr, 25 May 2019 FSV Salmrohr TuS Koblenz 2–2 2,715 2019–20 Koblenz, 22 August 2020 FV Engers FC Karbach 5–0 350 2020–21 Koblenz, 29 May 2021 FC Rot-Weiss Koblenz VfB Linz 6–1 100 2021–22 Koblenz, 21 May 2022 FV Engers FC Karbach 1–0 1,470 2022–23 Koblenz, 3 June 2023 FC Rot-Weiß Koblenz TuS Immendorf 1–0 2023–24 Koblenz, 25 May 2024 TuS Koblenz SG Schneifel 2006 2–0 4,112 2024–25 Koblenz, 24 May 2025 FV Engers Rot-Weiß Koblenz 2–0 2,359 2025–26 Trier, 23 May 2026 Eintracht Trier TuS Koblenz 1–0 9,000 Source: Winners in bold 1 TuS Mayen left the field at 4–4, Metternich declared the winner.

Winners Listed in order of wins, the Cup winners are:

Club Wins Eintracht Trier 15 FSV Salmrohr 9 VfL Hamm 4 TuS Mayen 4 TuS Koblenz 4 Rot-Weiß Koblenz 3 FV Engers 3 SpVgg EGC Wirges 2 Sportfreunde Eisbachtal 2 SG Ellingen/Bonefeld 2 SpVgg Andernach 2 SC Rhein/Ahr Sinzig 2 VfB Wissen 2 Sportfreunde Herdorf 2 FC Germania Metternich 2 SC 07 Bad Neuenahr 2 SV Roßbach/Verscheid 2 TuS Neuendorf 2 FC Bitburg 1 SV Leiwen 1 VfB Lützel 1 SC Oberlahnstein 1 SSV Mülheim 1 VfL Trier 1 FC Horchheim 1 Fortuna Kottenheim 1 SpVgg Höhr-Grenzhausen 1

References

Sources Deutschlands Fußball in Zahlen, An annual publication with tables and results from the Bundesliga to Verbandsliga/Landesliga, publisher: DSFS

External links Rhineland Football Association Fussball.de: Rhineland Cup