# Rhineland Cup

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 | not held | not held | not held | 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 (a.e.t.) (4–3 p) | 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 |
* Source: "Alle Rheinlandpokalsieger Herren" (in German). FVR. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
* 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 | 14 |
| FSV Salmrohr | 9 |
| VfL Hamm | 4 |
| TuS Mayen | 4 |
| TuS Koblenz | 4 |
| Rot-Weiß Koblenz | 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 |
| FV Engers | 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 |