Azerbaijan - Azərbaycan Kuboku

About Azərbaycan Kuboku

Azərbaycan Kuboku History, Format, Organization, Media Coverage

The Azerbaijan Cup, or Azerbaycan Kuboku, is the most relevant cup tournament in that country. The competition was created in 1992 after the split of the Soviet Union, and it is considered as the second most important competition in the country behind the league tournament.
Over the years, the format of this competition has been changed to attract audiences, giving lower-tier clubs a chance to fight for the title since the first round. Not all teams from the lower league are allowed in the tournament, which sees them facing Premier League sides until the second round.

The first rounds in the competition see teams playing single-leg ties to allow them to reach the Quarterfinals, where a home-and-away system is used to grant spots for the subsequent round. The final match is held at a neutral venue, where extra time and penalties are used to determine the winner in the event of a draw after 90 minutes.

Nine different teams have managed to win the Azerbaijan Cup since its launch, but only five of those still exist. Clubs Qarabag, Neftci, Kapaz, Kesla and Gabala are the only active champions of this competition, following the dissolution of the other teams that won the tournament. The winner of the tournament earns access to the preliminary stages of the UEFA Europa League.

Coverage of the Azerbaijan Cup has been awarded to CBC Sport, a channel that was created to give fans access to this competition. CBC Sport has earned broadcasting rights for this tournament until 2025.