Greek Football Cup

The Greek Football Cup (Greek: Κύπελλο Ελλάδος Ποδοσφαίρου), commonly known as the Greek Cup is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation.

For basketball, see Greek Basketball Cup.
Greek Football Cup
Organising bodyHellenic Football Federation
Founded1931
RegionGreece
Number of teams84 (2019–20)
Qualifier forUEFA Europa League
Current championsPAOK
(7th title)
Most successful club(s)Olympiacos
(27 titles)
Television broadcastersCosmote Sport
Websitewww.epo.gr
2019–20 Greek Cup

Because it involves clubs of all standards playing against each other, there is the possibility for "minnows" from the lower divisions to become "giant-killers" by eliminating top clubs from the tournament and even theoretically win the Cup.

The current holders of the Greek Cup are PAOK, who beat AEK Athens 1–0 in the 2019 final held on 11 May 2019.

History
AEK Athens' team which won the first Greek Cup in 1932.

The Greek Cup under EPO began in 1931. In its early years, entry was optional. Teams were paired against each other by the football associations, without a draw taking place. Later on, for many years, a proper draw took place and also two-legged matches were added.

In 1962, there was no cup winner because the final between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos was abandoned.[1]

Until 1964, if the final score was a draw (including extra time), the two teams played a replay match, while penalties didn't exist. That year, in the semi-final[2] between Panathinaikos and Olympiacos (1–1 at the time),fans of both teams stormed the pitch, damaged the football field and virtually stopped the game, believing that it was fixed to end in a draw, in order to be replayed for financial reasons. Both teams were ejected from the competition and therefore, in 1964 AEK won the title but the final match was not held. AEK also won in similar fashion in 1966 when Olympiacos did not show up in the final.[3]

In 1965, a new rule was applied, to determine that, if the game was undecided even after extra time, the winner would be determined by the toss of a coin. Panathinaikos won this way (captain Mimis Domazos guessed correctly) in the 1969 final[4] against Olympiacos. Afterwards the penalty shootout was applied.

Until 1971, teams from all over the country, professional and amateur, had been taking part. Each team first played against clubs from its own association and the winners continued in a nationwide competition. Due to this, strong professional sides met amateur neighbourhood teams, sometimes beating them with high scores; a 23–0 win in an Apollon Athens vs. PAO Neas Melandias match on 23 September 1959 remains a record win for the Greek Cup until today. Since 1971, only teams from professional divisions are allowed to participate, while amateur clubs take part in the Amateur Cup.

In 1991 and 1992 the finals were two-legged matches.

It is widely considered that the most exciting match in the history of the competition was the 2009 final[5] between Olympiacos and AEK (3–3 full time, 4–4 after extra time and 15–14 on penalties).

Cup Winners

11 clubs have won the Greek Cup.[6]

Notes:
• In the periods 1933–38 and 1940–46, the competition was not held (in 1940–41 only the 1st round was carried out).
• In 1961–62, final match was abandoned (no cup winner).
• In 1963–64 and 1965–66, final matches were not held.
• Statistical paradox : 77 editions of the competition, 76 concluded with a cup winner, 75 finals (74 concluded - 1 abandoned).

For all the Greek Cup finals, see List of Greek Cup finals.

Performance by club

19 clubs have reached the Greek Cup final.[7]

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
Olympiacos
27
12
 1947, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1981, 1990, 1992, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015 1956, 1966, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1986, 1988, 1993, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2016
Panathinaikos
18
10
 1940, 1948, 1955, 1967, 1969, 1977, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2004, 2010, 2014 1949, 1960, 1965, 1968, 1972, 1975, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2007
AEK
15
10
 1932, 1939, 1949, 1950, 1956, 1964, 1966, 1978, 1983, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2011, 2016 1948, 1953, 1979, 1994, 1995, 2006, 2009, 2017, 2018, 2019
PAOK
7
13
 1972, 1974, 2001, 2003, 2017, 2018, 2019 1939, 1951, 1955, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1992, 2014
Panionios
2
4
 1979, 1998 1952, 1961, 1967, 1989
AEL
2
2
 1985, 2007 1982, 1984
Aris
1
8
 1970 1932, 1933, 1940, 1950, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2010
Iraklis
1
4
 1976 1947, 1957, 1980, 1987
OFI
1
1
 1987 1990
Ethnikos
1
0
 1933
Kastoria
1
0
 1980
Doxa Drama
0
3
 1954, 1958, 1959
Atromitos
0
2
 2011, 2012
Pierikos
0
1
 1963
Athinaikos
0
1
 1991
Apollon Smyrni
0
1
 1996
Ionikos
0
1
 2000
Asteras Tripoli
0
1
 2013
Xanthi
0
1
 2015

Total titles won by city

11 clubs have won the Greek Football Cup, from a total of 6 cities.

City Number of Titles Clubs
Athens
35
 Panathinaikos (18), AEK (15), Panionios (2)
Piraeus
28
 Olympiacos (27), Ethnikos (1)
Thessaloniki
9
 PAOK (7), Aris (1), Iraklis (1)
Larissa
2
 AEL (2)
Heraklion
1
 OFI (1)
Kastoria
1
 Kastoria (1)

See also

References
  1. Τελικός 1962 διακοπή. sportdog.gr (in Greek).
  2. Ημιτελικός 1964 διακοπή. sansimera.gr (in Greek).
  3. Τελικός 1966 που δεν έγινε ποτέ. oldfootball.gr (in Greek).
  4. Τελικός 1969. sport-retro.gr (in Greek).
  5. Τελικός 2009. contra.gr (in Greek).
  6. Η Χρυσή Βίβλος. sport24.gr (in Greek).
  7. Ολοι οι Τελικοί. sdna.gr (in Greek).
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