Cup (Slovakia) 2026/27

The Slovak Cup is the primary national knockout tournament for football clubs in Slovakia. It operates as a single-elimination competition, with matches generally decided by single legs until the semi-finals. The structure allows amateur teams to enter through preliminary rounds organised by their respective regional associations, providing a pathway for smaller clubs to compete against established professional sides.

Unlike the regional leagues where clubs like Vranov nad Topľou, Partizán Prečín, Priehrada Udiča, Čeľadice, Gemerská Hôrka, and Veľký Lapáš compete locally, this cup is a unified national entity. These clubs are geographically dispersed across four different regions of Slovakia and belong to distinct Regional Football Associations. Vranov nad Topľou and Gemerská Hôrka fall under the Košice Regional FA; Partizán Prečín and Priehrada Udiča under the Trenčín Regional FA; and Čeľadice and Veľký Lapáš under the Nitra Regional FA. Consequently, they cannot participate in the same official district or regional cup competition, as these are organised by local district associations within specific regions.

Current holder MŠK Žilina competes in the top tier, while ŠK Slovan Bratislava remains the most successful club with 17 titles. The competition is sponsored by Slovnaft, with the official name often cited as the Slovnaft Cup. The format ensures that every tie, except the semi-finals, is played over one match, adding unpredictability to the tournament. Clubs enter based on their performance in domestic league structures, though no specific history or founding date is highlighted in the available records for a combined competition of these specific teams.

The tournament serves as a distinct challenge from the weekend league fixtures. While the clubs listed may individually participate in the national cup, they do not form a single group within it. The competition provides a unique opportunity for lower-division teams to test themselves against the highest level of Slovak football. This structure differentiates it from the regional cups, where pairs of clubs share district competitions, such as Čeľadice and Veľký Lapáš in the Nitra District Cup or Partizán Prečín and Priehrada Udiča in the Považská Bystrica District Cup. There is no unified tournament linking all six listed clubs outside of this national framework.