The Cupa României () is a football cup competition for Romanian teams which has been held annually since 1933âÂÂ34, except during World War II. It is the country's main cup competition and is open to all clubs affiliated with the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) and the county football associations, regardless of the league in which they compete. The winner of the competition qualifies for the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds and faces the league champion in the Supercupa României.
The Romanian Cup is widely known for its knockout format and the possibility of surprising results, with lower-division teams occasionally eliminating top-flight clubs. Over the decades, the competition has produced many memorable finals and dramatic matches decided in extra time or on penalties, contributing to its reputation as one of the most unpredictable competitions in Romanian football.
Most finals have historically been held in Bucharest, particularly at the Stadionul NaÃÂional (formerly known as "23 August"). In recent decades the final has occasionally been hosted in other major cities across the country. During the construction of the new Stadionul NaÃÂional, the final was staged each year in a different city. In 2007, the final was held in TimiÃÂoara at the Dan PÃÂltiniÃÂanu stadium, only the second time the event had taken place outside Bucharest after BraÃÂov hosted the 1989 final. In the following years, finals were also staged in cities such as Piatra NeamÃÂ, Târgu Jiu, IaÃÂi and again in BraÃÂov, before several editions returned to Bucharest following the opening of the Arena NaÃÂionalÃÂ.
Historically, the competition has been dominated by clubs from Bucharest. According to the official records of the Romanian Football Federation, the most successful club in the history of the competition is Steaua BucureÃÂti with 23 trophies, followed by Rapid BucureÃÂti and Dinamo BucureÃÂti with 13 trophies each. Court decisions in Romania regarding the legal dispute between CSA Steaua BucureÃÂti and FCSB established that the historical honours of Steaua BucureÃÂti up to 1998 belong to the CSA Steaua sports club. As a result, the Romanian Cup trophies won by the club before that date are officially attributed to Steaua BucureÃÂti in FRF records.
One of the most remarkable achievements in the competitionâÂÂs history belongs to Rapid BucureÃÂti, which won the Romanian Cup six consecutive times between 1937 and 1942, a record that still stands today.
On 22 July 2005, FRF and Samsung Electronics signed a one-year sponsorship deal. The name of the competition was changed to Cupa României Samsung.
On 9 October 2006, FRF and Ursus Breweries (part of the SABMiller group) signed a sponsorship agreement for the next three seasons. Ursus Breweries changed the name of the competition to Cupa României TimiÃÂoreana, after the TimiÃÂoreana beer brand.
On 16 May 2016, FRF announced the rebranding of competition and the signing of contracts with new sponsors such as Kaufland, UPC Broadband and Stanleybet.
On 20 October 2017, FRF announced that the new main sponsor of the competition is the betting company Casa Pariurilor.
The competition has undergone minor changes in format over the years. The following format came in use in the 2009âÂÂ10 season. The main differences between the current system and the last one are the dates at which rounds take place, and the two-legged format of the semifinals.
The competition at this phase is organized by the county football associations. Forty-two teams (one from each county) advance to the next phase.
The competition at this phase is organized by the Romanian Football Federation (FRF). For the first five rounds, teams are paired using geographical criteria in order to avoid long travel distances. The teams from a lower division or with a lower ranking in the last league season host the games.
Every year, based on the national and international football calendar, FRF's executive committee may choose a two-leg or one-leg system for the round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals. Games at these stages are, when played using a one-leg system, hosted by a neutral venue. The final is held at a pre-established venue, normally in Bucharest.
Since its establishment, the Cupa României has been won by 23 clubs. Teams shown in italics are no longer in existence. Additionally, if two or more teams are tied with the same number of trophies, the one that achieved the performance first is ranked above the others.
The following table sorts cities by the number of Cups won by local teams. Bucharest, hosting the three most decorated sides in the competition and having staged the majority of the Cup finals, is by far the most prolific city.