Bavarian Cup
The Bavarian Cup is a regional football competition organized by the Bavarian Football Association (BFV) for clubs from Bavaria. It acts as a qualifier for the DFB-Pokal and provides lower-division teams a chance to face giants like Bayern Munich. The tournament blends rich tradition with competitive modern football, drawing fans across Germany.
History and foundation
Founded in 1908 as Bayerischer Pokal, it endured world wars and German football reforms. In the 1950s, it integrated into national cup qualifiers. A highlight: in 1970, Bayern Munich lost the final to underdog TSV 1860 Rosenheim, a major upset. Over 20 clubs have won, including Augsburg and Nuremberg, but Bayern leads with 25 titles.
Tournament format
Features multiple knockout rounds from 1/512 to the final. Around 250 teams from Regional League to Kreisliga participate. Open draw until later stages, single-leg matches on the home team's ground. Winner qualifies for DFB-Pokal; top two sometimes do. Season runs from August to May.
Interesting facts
Average goals per match: 3.2, spiking to over 4 in early rounds. Top scorers: Robert Lewandowski (12 for Bayern in 2012), Thomas Müller (10). Stars: Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller from Bayern; Max Morlock from Nuremberg. Current standouts from Ingolstadt and Würzburg. It's a breeding ground for Bayern's youth.