The German League Cup, is a competition that takes place before the start of the Bundesliga season, featuring the top teams of the previous Bundesliga season and the winners of the German Cup.
Format
The Cup is played between six teams, the top four teams of the Bundesliga, the German Cup winners, and the winner of the 2nd Bundesliga. If a team is doubly qualified by also winning the German Cup, the number five team in the Bundesliga will take the spare place.
The tournament is a knock-out competition played over three rounds with two matches in the first two rounds, and a single final in the last round. The current Bundesliga champion and the German Cup winner enter the tournament in the second round. If the Bundesliga champion is also the cup winner, the Bundesliga runner-up will skip the first round. The four remaining teams play one match to determine who qualifies for the next round. The four teams in the second round then play one match to determine which teams qualify for the final. All matches take place in neutral venues and last 90 minutes, with a penalty shootout immediately following if the match is tied.
History
From 1972 to 1996, it was a single match between the German champions and German Cup winners which was called German Supercup and is akin to the English FA Community Shield. In 1997 this was extended to a cup competition consisting of six teams, the top five placed teams from the Bundesliga plus the German Cup winners, with the cup winners and champions entering in the semifinals. If the cup winner was the same as any of the top five finishers in the league, the 6th place team was entitled to participate and the format was adjusted accordingly. Starting with the 2007 cup, the participating teams will be the top four teams from the Bundesliga, the German Cup winners, as well as the winners of the 2nd Bundesliga.
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