Copa del Rey Juvenil de Fútbol is an annual youth football tournament in Spain, which is contested by 32 teams from the División de Honor Juvenil. It is organised by the RFEF.[1]
The Copa del Rey Juvenil de Fútbol was founded in 1951 with the name of Copa del Generalísimo. Its name was changed in 1977 to Copa del Rey.[2]
In the first two decades of the 21st century, qualification for the tournament was determined by the teams' finishing positions in the División de Honor Juvenil de Fútbol (a double-round robin league system), so was played at the end of the league season in May and June, with 16 participants (the two highest-placed across 6 groups (later re-organised into 7) and those 3rd-placed teams with the highest points. Following the two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, the format was altered: the División de Honor would still form the basis for qualification, but now 32 teams would take part as determined by their results in the first half of the season, with the cup played during the second half.[3] In the first two editions with this change, the opening round was limited to matches between teams from the same geographic group, but in 2024 this was changed to a seeded draw on a nationwide basis.[4]
‡ The title decided by lower age of the players.
* Was scheduled to be played at the Estadio Cartagonova in Cartagena