Cup (Russia)

The Russian Cup (FONBET Russian Cup, founded in 1992) is Russia’s annual national cup competition organised by the Russian Football Union. Regulations: in the current format the tournament has three stages and is split into the RPL Path and the Regions Path. In the RPL Path, 16 Premier League clubs play a group stage in 4 groups of 4, double round-robin (6 matchdays). Points are awarded as follows: 3 for a win in regular time, 2 for a draw in regular time followed by a penalty shootout win, 1 for a draw in regular time followed by a penalty shootout loss, and 0 for a loss in regular time. Group ranking is determined by points, then head-to-head criteria, then regular-time wins, regular-time goal difference, regular-time goals scored, penalty-shootout goal difference in head-to-head matches, disciplinary (cards) coefficient, and if still level - drawing of lots. The top two in each group advance to the RPL Path upper bracket, while third-placed teams move into the lower bracket. In the Regions Path, clubs from the First League, Second League (Division A and Division B) and eligible amateur teams compete in single-match qualifying rounds. In the second stage, the RPL Path upper bracket (quarter-finals, semi-finals and the RPL Path final) is played over two legs home and away, decided on aggregate goal difference; if level after the second leg, there is no extra time and the tie is decided by penalties. Upper-bracket losers (except in the RPL Path final) drop into the appropriate round of the lower bracket. The Regions Path lower bracket is single-match at each step and if level after regular time it goes straight to penalties. The tournament final is a single match between the winners of the RPL Path final and the Regions Path final; if level after regular time, there is no extra time and the winner is decided by penalties. The Russian Cup winner earns the right to play the Russian Super Cup against the national league champion.