Taça de Portugal

The Taça de Portugal (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈtasɐ dɨ puɾtuˈɡaɫ]; English: Portuguese Cup) is the premier knockout cup competition in Portuguese football. It is organized annually by the Portuguese Football Federation since its creation in 1938, and is open to professional and amateur clubs from the top-four tier levels. Matches are played from August–September to May–June, and the final is traditionally held at the Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, near Lisbon. The winners qualify for the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira (or the runners-up, in case the winners are also the league champions) and the UEFA Europa League (unless they already qualify for the UEFA Champions League through league placing).

Before 1938, a similar competition was held since 1922 under the name Campeonato de Portugal (English: Championship of Portugal), which determined the national champions from among the different regional championship winners. The establishment of the Primeira Liga, a nationwide league-based competition, as the official domestic championship in 1938, led to the conversion of the Campeonato de Portugal into the main domestic cup competition, under its current designation. In fact, the trophy awarded to the Portuguese Cup winners is the same that was awarded to the Campeonato de Portugal winners, although titles in each competition are counted separately.

Portugal

Portugal (Portuguese: [puɾtuˈɣaɫ]), officially the Portuguese Republic (Portuguese: República Portuguesa), is a country on the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the westernmost country of mainland Europe, being bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east. The Portugal–Spain border is 1,214 km (754 mi) long and considered the longest uninterrupted border within the European Union. The republic also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira, both autonomous regions with their own regional governments.

The land within the borders of current Portugal has been continuously settled and fought over since prehistoric times. The Celts and the Romans were followed by the Visigothic and the Suebi Germanic peoples, who were themselves later invaded by the Moors. These Muslim peoples were eventually expelled during the Christian Reconquista of the peninsula. By 1139, Portugal had established itself as a kingdom independent from León. In the 15th and 16th centuries, as the result of pioneering the Age of Discovery, Portugal expanded Western influence and established the first global empire, becoming one of the world's major economic, political and military powers.

Portuguese Football Federation

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) (Portuguese: Federação Portuguesa de Futebol; FPF; pronounced: [fɨdɨɾɐˈsɐ̃w̃ puɾtuˈɡezɐ dɨ futɨbɔɫ]) is the governing body of football in Portugal. It organises the Campeonato Nacional de Seniores, the Taça de Portugal, the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, youth levels, women's football, beach soccer, futsal, and also the men's and the women's national football teams. Formed in 1914, it is based in the capital city of Lisbon.

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Coordinates: 38°43′16″N 9°09′11″W / 38.72111°N 9.15306°W / 38.72111; -9.15306

S.L. Benfica

Sport Lisboa e Benfica (Portuguese pronunciation: [spɔɾ liʒˈboɐ i bɐ̃ȷ̃ˈfikɐ]), commonly known as Benfica, is a sports club based in Lisbon, Portugal. It is best known for its professional football team, who play in the Primeira Liga, the top flight of Portuguese football. Currently, Benfica are back-to-back Portuguese champions.

Founded in 1904 by a group of people led by Cosme Damião, Benfica is one of the "Big Three" clubs in Portugal that have never been relegated from the Primeira Liga – the other two are rivals FC Porto and Sporting CP. The team is nicknamed Águias (Eagles) for the symbol atop the club's crest, and Encarnados (Reds) for the shirt colour. Since 2003, their home ground has been the Estádio da Luz, which replaced the original one. Benfica is the most supported Portuguese club and the European club with the biggest percentage of supporters in its own country, having more than 156,000 paying members. The club's official anthem, "Ser Benfiquista", refers to its supporters who are called Benfiquistas. Benfica is honoured in three Portuguese Orders: those of Christ, of Merit and of Prince Henry.