# Bavarian Cup

The Bavarian Cup (German: Bayerischer Toto-Pokal), was created in 1998 and functions as a qualifying competition to the German Cup. It is one of the 21 regional cups in Germany. It is one of three regional associations who are permitted to send two amateur teams to the DFB Cup, the three associations doing so being the largest.
An earlier incarnation of the Bavarian Cup existed from 1947 to 1954.

## History

The seven Bezirke in Bavaria each played their own cup competition which in turn used to function as a qualifying to the German Cup (DFB-Pokal). Since 1998 these seven cup-winners plus the losing finalist of the region that won the previous event advanced to the newly introduced Bavarian Cup, the Toto-Pokal. The two finalists of this competition then advanced to the German Cup. Bavarian clubs which play in the first or second Bundesliga were not permitted to take part in the event, their reserve teams however could. Since 2008, reserve teams can not qualify for the DFB Cup any more, a right the clubs traded of for the privilege for reserve teams to play in the 3rd Liga.
Until 1998, the Bavarian Cup only existed in as much as it was a qualifying competition to the German Cup. This meant, in the later years two semi-finals were played to determine the two Bavarian amateur teams entering the DFB-Pokal, but, oddly, no final between these two teams was ever played.
Until 2008, no club had won the Bayernliga and the Bavarian Cup in the same season, until SpVgg Weiden did so in 2008–09.

### 2009 reform

The Bavarian Cup was completely overhauled and enlarged from 2009 onwards. Instead of only eight teams, it now consists of 64 clubs, and will exclude reserve teams. The first round will be held in September of each season and the teams will be made up from the following groups:
* All Bavarian teams in the 3rd Liga and Regionalliga.
* The 24 regional cup winners (Kreispokal), which will be held in August and September.
* The clubs in the Bayernliga and the three Landesligas play a qualification round to determine the teams to fill the remaining spots.
The reason behind the reform is to have all cup games in Bavaria on uniform dates and to allow the clubs in the Landesligas and above to enter the competition later, while clubs below that level will receive a better chance to win their local Kreispokal competition, and with this the associated prize money.
The competition, made up of the 64 teams, is played in a knock-out format. Two teams will continue to qualify for the German Cup, these being the cup winner and the winner of the game between the second and the third placed team. The later changed after 2012 when the second spot was awarded to the best-placed non-reserve side of the Regionalliga Bayern.

## Regional cups

The Bavarian Cup, until 2009, was sub-divided into seven local cup competitions, running roughly along the boundaries of the seven Bezirke. The division was as follows:
* Oberbayern Cup: covering the region of Upper Bavaria
* Niederbayern Cup: covering the region of Lower Bavaria
* Schwaben Cup: covering the region of the Bavarian part of Swabia
* Oberpfalz Cup: covering the region of Upper Palatinate
* Mittelfranken Cup: covering the region of Middle Franconia
* Oberfranken Cup: covering the region of Upper Franconia
* Unterfranken Cup: covering the region of Lower Franconia

## 1947 to 1954 competition

From 1947 to 1954, a Bavarian Cup competition was held, which was disbanded shortly after the establishment of the DFB Cup. The first two editions were still organised by the Bavarian state sports association, the Bayerischer Landes-Sportverband, thereafter the competition was held by the Bavarian football association Bayerischer Fußball-Verband, which was founded in June 1946. It was only open to amateur sides, meaning clubs below the 2nd Oberliga Süd, except in 1951, when it was open to all Bavarian clubs. The finals were played by the following clubs:
| Date | Location | Winner | Finalist | Result | Attendance |
| 1947 | Landshut | Jahn Regensburg | MTV Ingolstadt | 2–1 | 5,000 |
| 1948 | Nuremberg | Jahn Regensburg | 1. FC Bamberg | 2–1 aet | |
| 1949 | Regensburg | FC Stein | VfL Ingolstadt-Ringsee | 3–2 | |
| 1950 | Amberg | FC Lichtenfels | MTV Ingolstadt | 1–0 | |
| 1951 | | BC Augsburg | ASV Cham | 4–3 | |
| 1952 | | TSV Gersthofen | SK Lauf | 3–0 | |
| 1953 | | SV Saal | FC Gerolzhofen | 7–1 | |
| 1954 | | FC Herzogenaurach | TSV Gersthofen | 4–2 | |

## Regional winners

The regional cup winners since 1975 were:

### Pre-Bavarian Cup

Franconian regions and Upper Palatinate:
| Season | Oberpfalz | Mittelfranken | Oberfranken | Unterfranken |
| 1975 | | FC Herzogenaurach | | |
| 1976 | | | | |
| 1977 | | | | |
| 1978 | | | | |
| 1979 | | | | |
| 1980 | | TSV Röttenbach | | |
| 1980 | | TSV Röttenbach | | |
| 1982 | | | | |
| 1983 | | | | |
| 1984 | | | | |
| 1985 | ASV Burglengenfeld | | | |
| 1986 | | TSV Vestenbergsgreuth | | |
| 1987 | | TSV Vestenbergsgreuth | | |
| 1988 | | BSC Erlangen | | |
| 1989 | | TSV Vestenbergsgreuth | | |
| 1990 | | SpVgg Fürth | | |
| 1991 | | SpVgg Fürth | | |
| 1992 | | | | |
| 1993 | | | | |
| 1994 | | TSV Vestenbergsgreuth | | |
| 1995 | | 1. FC Nuremberg II | | |
| 1996 | SpVgg Weiden | SpVgg Fürth | FC Bayern Hof | 1. FC Schweinfurt 05 |
| 1997 | SpVgg Weiden | SpVgg Greuther Fürth | TSV Trebgast | DJK Waldberg |
Old Bavaria and Swabia:
| Season | Oberbayern | Niederbayern | Schwaben |
| 1975 | | | TSG Thannhausen |
| 1976 | | | FC Memmingen |
| 1977 | | | FC Augsburg II |
| 1978 | | | SSV Glött |
| 1979 | | | BSK Neugablonz |
| 1980 | | | FC Augsburg |
| 1981 | | SpVgg Landshut | TSV 1861 Nördlingen |
| 1982 | | FC Vilshofen | SV Ober-Germaringen |
| 1983 | | FC Vilshofen | DJK Langenmosen |
| 1984 | | FC Vilshofen | TSV Aindling |
| 1985 | | | FC Kempten |
| 1986 | | SpVgg Landshut | FC Augsburg |
| 1987 | | SpVgg Landshut | FC Kempten |
| 1988 | | SpVgg Landshut | FC Augsburg |
| 1989 | | | TSV 1861 Nördlingen |
| 1990 | | | TSV Mindelheim |
| 1991 | | SpVgg Landshut | FC Gundelfingen |
| 1992 | | | FC Gundelfingen |
| 1993 | | | FC Augsburg |
| 1994 | | | SC Altenmünster |
| 1995 | FC Bayern Munich II | SpVgg Landshut | TSV Aindling |
| 1996 | 1. FC Garmisch | SV Landau/Isar | FC Augsburg |
| 1997 | TSV 1860 München II | SV Hutthurm | TSV Aindling |

### Bavarian Cup era

| Season | Oberpfalz | Mittelfranken | Oberfranken | Unterfranken |
| 1998 | SG P/S Regensburg | Jahn Forchheim | | |
| 1999 | | SG Quelle Fürth | | |
| 2000 | SC Luhe-Wildenau | FSV Erlangen-Bruck | FC Bayern Hof | TSV Großbardorf |
| 2001 | Jahn Regensburg | 1. FC Nuremberg II | SpVgg Bayreuth | Würzburger FV |
| 2002 | Jahn Regensburg | SpVgg Greuther Fürth II | 1. FC Bamberg | Alemannia Haibach |
| 2003 | Jahn Regensburg | ASV Zirndorf | VfL Frohnlach | TSV Gerbrunn |
| 2004 | Jahn Regensburg II | SC 04 Schwabach | FC Bayern Hof | 1. FC Sand |
| 2005 | SV Etzenricht | SC 04 Schwabach | VfL Frohnlach | TSV Lengfeld |
| 2006 | Jahn Regensburg | 1. FC Nuremberg II | SpVgg Bayreuth | 1. FC Schweinfurt 05 |
| 2007 | TSV Kareth-Lappersdorf | SV Seligenporten | SpVgg Selbitz | Würzburger FV |
| 2008 | 1. FC Schwandorf | ASV Neumarkt | SpVgg Selbitz | Alemannia Haibach |
| 2009 | SpVgg Weiden | SC Eltersdorf | VfL Frohnlach | 1. FC Schweinfurt 05 |
| Season | Oberbayern | Niederbayern | Schwaben |
| 1998 | TSV 1860 München II | SV Schalding-Heining | BC Aichach |
| 1999 | TSV 1860 Rosenheim | SpVgg Landshut | FC Augsburg |
| 2000 | FC Ismaning | SV Riedelhütte | TSV Rain am Lech |
| 2001 | FC Bayern Munich II | SpVgg Landshut | FC Gundelfingen |
| 2002 | FC Bayern Munich II | SpVgg Landshut | FC Augsburg |
| 2003 | TSV 1860 München II | SV Schalding-Heining | TSV Aindling |
| 2004 | SpVgg Unterhaching II | SpVgg Landshut | FC Augsburg |
| 2005 | FC Ingolstadt 04 | 1. FC Bad Kötzting | FC Augsburg |
| 2006 | FC Ingolstadt 04 | SpVgg Landshut | TSG Thannhausen |
| 2007 | FC Ingolstadt 04 | SV Schalding-Heining | TSV 1861 Nördlingen |
| 2008 | SpVgg Unterhaching | SpVgg Landshut | 1. FC Sonthofen |
| 2009 | SpVgg Unterhaching | SV Schalding-Heining | TSV Aindling |