Founded in 1903, Copa del Rey is the oldest football competition in Spain.
Copa del Rey was Spain's football national championship until Campeonato de Liga (now recognised as La Liga) was founded in 1928 and the knockout competition remains a pivotal part of the Spanish football calendar.
Here is everything you need to know about Copa del Rey.
2025/26 dates
- Preliminary round: 27 September - 4 October 2025
- First round: 29 October 2025
- Second round: 3 December 2025
- Round of 32: 17 December 2025
- Round of 16: 14 January 2026
- Quarter-finals: 4 February 2026
- Semi-finals: 11 February - 4 March 2026
- Final: 18 April 2026
The dates for the 2026/27 Copa del Rey campaign are yet to be confirmed, but we can expect the schedule to follow the 2025/26 edition.
Format
In total, 125 teams enter the Copa del Rey, going all the way down to the regional leagues in the sixth tier.
10 fixtures take place in the two-legged preliminary round, with the 10 triumphant teams advancing to the first round stage where La Liga and Segunda Division teams enter the competition.
The Copa del Rey is seeded, meaning the teams from the lowest divisions are drawn against top-flight opponents. Local seeding also applies, meaning the matches are played at the home stadium of the team in the lower division.
All ties take place over one leg until the semi-finals, where a two-legged tie determines who will advance to the final.
Prize money
Not only is the victor of the Copa del Rey awarded a berth in the UEFA Europa League group stage for the subsequent season, but the winner of the competition also receives €1.2million in prize money.
The runners-up receive an estimated €1m, while the defeated semi-finalists can expect to pocket in excess of €400k.
History
Since the inaugural edition of the competition in 1903, Barcelona are the most successful club in Copa del Rey history, having defeated their Clasico rivals Real Madrid in May to record their 32nd triumph.
The first two years of the Copa del Rey saw Athletic Club triumph before Real Madrid were victorious in four consecutive seasons between 1905 and 1908.
16 different clubs have lifted the Copa del Rey trophy throughout the competition's 122-year history.
Telmo Zarra of Athletic Club is the record goalscorer in the competition, having netted 81 times between 1939 and 1957.
Five players have won the trophy seven times, of which three represented Barcelona in the 21st century: Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi.
