Rock Cup (Gibraltar) 2026/27

The Rock Cup stands as the primary domestic knockout football competition in Gibraltar. Organized by the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA), it occupies the top tier of the national cup pyramid. The tournament’s origins stretch back to the 1894–95 season, when it began under the name "Senior Merchant's Cup" before being renamed the Rock Cup in 1935.

The competition operates as a single-elimination knockout tournament involving twelve teams. This field comprises the eleven clubs from the Gibraltar Football League, the country's top tier, alongside one side from the Gibraltar Intermediate League. The format typically grants lower-division entrants entry in the First Round, while top-flight clubs may receive byes to the Quarter-finals or contest the opening stage. All matches are played as single legs. In early-round draws, penalty kicks are used to decide winners immediately, whereas extra time is employed in the semi-finals and final should scores remain level.

The final is traditionally staged at either the Victoria Stadium or Europa Point Stadium. Success in the Rock Cup carries significant weight, as the victor earns qualification for the UEFA Europa Conference League. This European pathway has heightened the competition's prestige since Gibraltar joined UEFA in 2013.

Lincoln Red Imps hold the record for success, having claimed twenty-one titles. They are followed by Europa FC with eleven wins and Gibraltar United with ten. The tournament has experienced historical interruptions, including suspensions during both World Wars and a hiatus between 1966 and 1973. Despite these periods of inactivity, the competition remains a central fixture in Gibraltarian football, determining the national champion among cup participants each year. The current holder emerged from a recent final against Lions Gibraltar, though the focus remains on the enduring structure and history of the event itself.