Westfalenpokal

About Westfalenpokal

History, Format, Organization, Media Coverage

The Westphalia Cup, known as the "Westfalenpokal" in German, is a football cup competition for clubs in the Westphalia region of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Founded in 1981, the competition offers the champion a spot in the DFB Pokal, Germany’s premier knockout cup tournament.

Clubs from fully professional leagues, such as the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga, are ineligible for the Westfalenpokal. Instead, it is open to 3. Liga, Regionalliga, and Oberliga teams based in the region, along with sides competing in local cup competitions.

Rot-Weiß Lüdenscheid won the inaugural season in 1982, defeating 1. FC Paderborn 2-0 in the final before successfully defending their title the following year. However, 1. FC Paderborn has since become a dominant force, winning six trophies in the 2000s and 2010s.