League Cup

In association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946–47 and was entitled the Scottish League Cup. However, in the Republic of Ireland the now defunct League of Ireland Shield was the first national league-only tournament of its kind; this was subsequently replaced by the League of Ireland Cup in 1983.

The creation of a League Cup marked the difference from the Association Cup or Primary Cup, which is generally also open to teams from multiple leagues, often as far down as regional amateur leagues, and who are also members of the country's football association.

The creation of a tournament of this kind exclusively for the top national-level league teams, in addition to the two main domestic association football tournaments of the league and association cup, also created a new national footballing achievement called the domestic "treble". The first national league treble of this kind was won by Shamrock Rovers of the Republic of Ireland in 1925.

League cups were generally introduced after the Second World War - for example, the Football League Cup in England in 1960 - although in other countries they were created following a rise in the number of floodlit stadiums, allowing regular midweek matches.

In certain countries, the League Cup had, or in some cases still has, group stages in the early stages. These often opened the season before the main league season began.

[[hong kong|🇭🇰]] Hong Kong

 * Hong Kong League Cup

[[india|🇮🇳]] India

 * Federation Cup

[[japan|🇯🇵]] Japan

 * J. League Cup

[[malaysia|🇲🇾]] Malaysia

 * Malaysia Cup

[[singapore|🇸🇬]] Singapore

 * Singapore League Cup

[[thailand|🇹🇭]] Thailand

 * Thai League Cup

[[south africa|🇿🇦]] South Africa

 * Telkom Knockout

Men

 * EFL Cup, formerly the Football League Cup
 * EFL Trophy, formerly the Football League Trophy
 * Isthmian League Cup
 * Northern Premier League Challenge Cup
 * Northern Premier League President's Cup
 * Southern Football League Cup

Women

 * FA WSL Cup
 * FA Women's Premier League Cup

[[finland|🇫🇮]] Finland

 * Finnish League Cup

[[france|🇫🇷]] France

 * Coupe de la Ligue

[[gibraltar|🇬🇮]] Gibraltar

 * Gibraltar Premier Cup

[[iceland|🇮🇸]] Iceland

 * Deildabikar

[[ireland|🇮🇪]] Republic of Ireland

 * League of Ireland Cup

[[israel|🇮🇱]] Israel

 * Toto Cup

Northern Ireland

 * Irish League Cup

[[portugal|🇵🇹]] Portugal

 * Taça da Liga

[[romania|🇷🇴]] Romania

 * Cupa Ligii

[[scotland|🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿]] Scotland

 * Scottish League Cup
 * Scottish League Challenge Cup

[[wales|🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿]] Wales

 * Welsh League Cup

[[trinidad and tobago|🇹🇹]] Trinidad and Tobago

 * Trinidad and Tobago League Cup

China PR

 * Chinese Super League Cup

[[japan|🇯🇵]] Japan

 * Japan Soccer League Cup

[[south korea|🇰🇷]] South Korea

 * Korean League Cup

[[tunisia|🇹🇳]] Tunisia

 * Tunisia Coupe de la Ligue Professionel

[[belgium|🇧🇪]] Belgium

 * Belgian League Cup

[[denmark|🇩🇰]] Denmark

 * Spar Cup
 * Danish League Cup
 * Viasat Cup

East Germany

 * Olympia-Pokal (1964)
 * Fuwo-Pokal (1972)
 * DFV-Toto-Sonderrunde (1974 & 1976)

[[england|🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿]] England

 * Full Members Cup
 * Super Cup
 * Centenary Trophy
 * Conference League Cup

[[france|🇫🇷]] France

 * Coupe Charles Drago

[[germany|🇩🇪]] Germany

 * DFB-Ligapokal

[[greece|🇬🇷]] Greece

 * Greek League Cup

[[norway|🇳🇴]] Norway

 * Norwegian League Cup

[[poland|🇵🇱]] Poland

 * Ekstraklasa Cup

[[portugal|🇵🇹]] Portugal

 * Federation Cup

[[russia|🇷🇺]] Russia

 * Russian Premier League Cup
 * FNL Cup

[[scotland|🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿]] Scotland

 * Saint Mungo Cup
 * Scottish Summer Cup
 * Southern League Cup

[[spain|🇪🇸]] Spain

 * Copa de la Liga

[[switzerland|🇨🇭]] Switzerland

 * Swiss League Cup

[[turkey|🇹🇷]] Turkey

 * Spor Toto Cup

[[ukraine|🇺🇦]] Ukraine

 * Ukrainian League Cup

USSR

 * USSR Federation Cup

[[wales|🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿]] Wales

 * FAW Premier Cup

[[england|🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿]] England

 * FA WSL Cup
 * Premier League Cup

[[scotland|🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿]] Scotland

 * Scottish Premier League Cup