Copa del rey new format
The Copa del Rey, also known as the King's Cup, is an annual knockout tournament in Spanish football. In 2020, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announced a new format for the competition, which will be implemented starting from the 2020-21 season. Here are the key changes:
- Increased number of teams: The tournament will now feature 126 teams, up from 83 previously. This includes all teams from the top four divisions of Spanish football (La Liga, Segunda División, Segunda División B, and Tercera División).
- New group stage: The tournament will start with a group stage, featuring 48 teams divided into 12 groups of 4 teams each. The teams will play each other in a round-robin format, with the top 2 teams from each group advancing to the next round.
- Knockout stage: The knockout stage will feature 64 teams, with the winners of each group and the 16 best runners-up from the group stage joining the 48 teams that advanced directly to this stage. The knockout stage will consist of two-legged ties, with the team scoring the most goals over the two legs advancing to the next round.
- Finals: The tournament will still culminate in a single-elimination final, played at a neutral venue.
The new format aims to increase the competitiveness and excitement of the tournament, while also providing more opportunities for smaller clubs to compete against bigger teams.