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Belgian Cup (Croky Cup)

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What is the Belgian Cup?

Alongside the national title, the Belgian Cup is the most coveted prize in Belgian football. This iconic knock-out tournament has a rich history that goes back to 1908, although the clubs first competed for it in the 1911-1912 season. Since the 2015-2016 season the official name of the cup competition has been changed to the Croky Cup.

The charm of the cup lies in the fact that clubs from every level take part: from the smallest provincial sides, through the teams of the Challenger Pro League (1B), to the absolute top clubs of the Jupiler Pro League. Every year that produces a few dream fixtures, where a modest amateur team gets to host a traditional heavyweight. The hope of that one cup upset is what makes the tournament so unpredictable.

The Croky Cup therefore follows a completely different logic from the Jupiler Pro League. Where the league, as we explain in our guide on how the Jupiler Pro League works, is a marathon over a full season, the cup is all about pure knock-out ties: all or nothing on a single evening. For many teams, including those in the middle of the table, it is the shortest route to a major trophy and a European ticket.

In the cup, every match matters straight away. A team struggling in the league can grow into a cup sensation and salvage its season after all. Conversely, a strong Pro League campaign is no guarantee of a long cup run. That unpredictability makes the cup a competition of its own.

How does the Croky Cup work?

The Croky Cup is a pure knock-out tournament. The principle is simple: win and you go through, lose and the cup run is over. In almost every round the decision comes in a single match. If it is level after ninety minutes, the early phases go straight to a penalty shoot-out; only in the later rounds is there extra time first.

There is one well-known exception: the semi-finals. These are played over a two-legged tie, so that each club can make a bid for a place in the final in front of its own crowd as well. The final itself is once again one decisive match and is usually played at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels.

In the league you can put right an off day, but in the cup one slip is often decisive. A top club not playing at its level can be knocked out by a team from a lower tier. It is the classic David versus Goliath, and it is precisely that unpredictability that makes the tournament so loved.

On top of that, the top clubs often rotate in the early rounds: young talent gets minutes and key players are rested. On the pitch that narrows the gap that exists on paper, especially against a strongly motivated opponent. An early exit for a favourite is therefore no rarity.

The rounds and the calendar

The Croky Cup wakes up early in the season, with preliminary rounds in which amateur clubs and teams from the lower divisions dream of an upset. It is the classic funnel effect: round after round teams drop out, until the big names from the Jupiler Pro League make their entrance. They come in from the round of 32.

From then on the fight for the cup really gets going, with the classic knock-out phases: after the round of 32 come the round of 16 and the quarter-finals. The semi-finals are the only exception and are decided over a two-legged tie. The final follows at the end of the season and rounds off the Belgian football year.

Every draw is an event in itself. A smaller team hopes for a dream home tie, or two arch-rivals are paired together early in the tournament. The draw also determines who gets home advantage.

The full fixture list, including dates and times, is announced quickly after each draw. You are best off following the draw and the calendar via the official Pro League channels. The Jupiler Pro League hub brings together the most important pages for you, so you do not have to miss a single fixture.

From preliminary round to final

Winners and record holder

With twelve cups in the trophy cabinet, Club Brugge is the undisputed record holder in the Belgian Cup. On the roll of honour they are followed by other heavyweights of Belgian football, such as RSC Anderlecht and Standard Liège. For those top teams the "Coupe" is a main target, but the magic of the tournament often lies in the upsets by the smaller teams, for whom a cup run can make or break a season.

The most recent winner is Union Saint-Gilloise, which took the Croky Cup in the 2025-2026 season. For the Brussels side it was not a first cup win: the club had won the cup earlier in its history (in 1913 and 1914, and again in 2024). In the final at Heysel they beat city rivals RSC Anderlecht 3-1 after extra time, having been level after ninety minutes. That win earned Union not only the cup but also a European ticket and a place in the Belgian Super Cup.

The history books show that the cup winner is a good deal harder to predict than the national champion. The unique knock-out format, with direct elimination, always leaves the door ajar for a surprise. As a result, surprising names crop up more often on the roll of honour, which gives the Croky Cup its typical charm.

Besides the big names, many a supporter also remembers a memorable cup run by a lower-ranked club. A place in the final at the King Baudouin Stadium is a highlight for players and supporters alike, whatever the result.

European ticket and the Super Cup

Winning the cup at Heysel brings more than just the trophy. The winner of the Croky Cup is, as a rule, eligible for a European ticket, usually in the Europa League. Whether that is a place in the qualifying rounds or straight in the main phase depends on the UEFA access list and the Belgian coefficient, and can vary from season to season.

What if the winner already has a better European ticket in the bag through its final position in the league? Then the European place attached to the cup passes down to the highest-placed team in the table that did not yet have a ticket. That way the cup final can indirectly hand another club an enormous gift.

As if that were not enough, the cup win opens the door to a new prize just before the season starts again. The winner gets to take on the freshly crowned national champion in the Belgian Super Cup. A prestigious clash that definitively closes out the summer break.

That clash between champion and cup winner is traditionally the real starting signal of the new football year. A first serious gauge for the renewed squads and, for the winner, a unique chance to add to the trophy cabinet even before the first league matchday.

Where to watch the Croky Cup?

The media landscape in Belgian football is constantly shifting, and the broadcast rights for the cup are no exception. In recent seasons the Croky Cup was a fixture at DAZN. For the 2026-2027 season the broadcast rights are provisionally only with DAZN; there is no definitive clarity yet.

The cup final is the highlight of the season, a match with a unique atmosphere. It usually gets a more prominent place in the broadcasts and is often also shown on a more widely accessible channel. Because the precise arrangements can differ per edition, it is wise to check the current channel or streaming service for a specific match.

You will not find live footage at Napoleon Sports; we are not a TV channel. But we do help you keep your finger on the pulse of the cup run and the league. By combining the Croky Cup action with the latest results and the current standings from the Jupiler Pro League, you will not miss a single crucial moment of the Belgian football season.

Betting on the Croky Cup

The Croky Cup is pure knock-out drama. At Napoleon Sports, a licensed Belgian operator with a licence from the Gaming Commission, you can place a prediction on those cup ties. You will find the classic markets there: who wins the match, how many goals are scored (over/under) or do both teams score? Feeling the tension during the match is possible too: at Napoleon Sports you can also bet live on football. In the cup, after all, anything can happen, because it is often a single all-or-nothing tie.

It is precisely that unpredictability that is the charm of the Belgian Cup. An amateur club giving a top side a real scare, it happens. Factors such as recent form, the history between the teams and the priority a coach gives to the cup all play a big part. Sometimes a top club fields a B team, and then you never know. Besides the individual matches, you can of course also try to gauge who will be the eventual winner.

Placing a bet should stay enjoyable, so always play responsibly (21+). No result can be predicted and there are no sure wins. So set your personal limit in advance and do not deviate from it. You will discover the full range for the Croky Cup in the betting markets of Napoleon Sports.

Besides the individual matches, you can often also back the eventual winner of the Croky Cup. Who do you see lifting the trophy at Heysel? A bet like that evolves with you throughout the whole tournament. Here too the golden rule applies: statistics and form are interesting background, but offer no certainty. So for this kind of bet too, always set your limit in advance.

Frequently asked questions about the Croky Cup

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