The English Football Archive - Cup Competitions

The FA Cup, established in 1871, is the oldest national football competition in the world. Open to clubs across all levels of English football, it remains one of the most historic and inclusive tournaments in the game.

The League Cup, introduced in 1960, is a competition open to the 92 clubs across the top four tiers of English football. Known for its evolving identity, the tournament has carried several names over the years due to sponsorship, and is currently called the Carabao Cup.

The Community Shield is an annual fixture that traditionally marks the start of the English football season, contested between the winners of the Premier League and the FA Cup.

European competitions have evolved over time, and we focus on the journeys of English clubs on the continental stage. These tournaments highlight their progress, achievements, and lasting impact in European football.

The EFL Trophy, introduced in 1983, features clubs from League One and League Two, alongside invited academy teams in its modern format. The competition has evolved over time and is known for its changing identity through various sponsorship names.

The Youdan Cup was one of the earliest organised football competitions, held in Sheffield. It played a key role in the development of early rules and formats within the game.

The Cromwell Cup was an early Sheffield-based football competition played in 1868, notable for featuring emerging clubs and contributing to the development of the modern game.

The Third Division North Cup was a regional knockout competition played by clubs in the Third Division North, mainly during the 1930s, with a brief revival after World War II.

The Third Division South Cup was a regional knockout competition played by clubs in the Third Division South, mainly during the 1930s, with a brief revival after World War II.

The Anglo-Italian Cup was an international competition featuring clubs from England and Italy, played across several formats between the 1970s and 1990s.

The Anglo-Scottish Cup was a cross-border competition featuring clubs from England and Scotland, played during the 1970s.

The Anglo-Italian League Cup was a short-lived competition between English and Italian clubs, played as a two-legged contest during the early 1970s.

The Texaco Cup was a cross-border competition featuring clubs from England, Scotland, and Ireland, played during the early 1970s.

The Watney Cup was a short-lived invitational competition played in the early 1970s, featuring top-scoring clubs from the English Football League.

The Full Members Cup was a short-lived competition played between clubs in the top divisions of English football during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The Football League Super Cup (1985-1987) was contested by English clubs unable to play in European competitions. The trophy image has been reconstructed from video footage.

The Football League Centenary Trophy was a one-off competition held in 1988 to celebrate 100 years of the Football League.