Romania's knockout cup has reached its group stage, pitting FCSB, Craiova, Rapid, Dinamo and CFR Cluj against ambitious smaller clubs. A guide to the format, the seeded giants and the four groups that will shape the road to European qualification.
Romania's most romantic football competition is stirring back to life once more. The Cupa Romaniei, the domestic knockout tournament that has produced countless upsets and unforgettable nights over the years, has reached its group stage for the 2026 and 2027 season, and the intrigue is already building nicely.
This is the round where the country's established giants must rub shoulders with ambitious minnows from the lower leagues. For the smaller clubs it is a rare chance at glory, while for the traditional powers it is a competition that still carries genuine prestige and a valuable prize waiting at the very end.
How the Competition Works
The current format of the Betano Cup of Romania brings 24 teams into the group stage. Eight of them are the best-ranked sides from the previous top-flight campaign, joined by the 16 clubs that battled their way through an earlier play-off round in order to reach this particular point.
Those two dozen teams are then divided into four groups of six. According to the format, the draw was organised around three seeded pots, with two teams from each pot allocated to every group, a system deliberately designed to spread the strongest sides evenly across the whole competition.
The Seeded Heavyweights
The top pot read like a roll call of Romanian football's most famous names. It featured Universitatea Craiova, Universitatea Cluj, CFR Cluj, Dinamo, Rapid 1923, FC Arges, UTA Arad and, of course, the reigning domestic powerhouse FCSB, a genuine collection of the country's most storied clubs.
With such heavyweights spread carefully across the four groups, no section was ever going to be straightforward. Each group is guaranteed at least a couple of well-known clubs, ensuring that even the very earliest matches carry the weight of local rivalry and long-standing reputation.
The Draw in Bucharest
The groups themselves were determined at a ceremony held on Friday, 21 August 2026. The draw took place in the surroundings of the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel, giving the occasion a suitably grand and formal setting befitting the competition's considerable history.
There was a nostalgic touch to the proceedings as well. The draw was conducted by three hugely popular former Romanian internationals, Adrian Mutu, Florin Nita and Raul Rusescu, names that instantly connected the new campaign to the country's rich and celebrated footballing past.
Group by Group
The draw produced a compelling spread of fixtures. Group A pairs Rapid and UTA Arad with Corvinul Hunedoara, FC Botosani, Minerul Lupeni and Poli Timisoara, while Group B brings together CFR Cluj, Universitatea Cluj, Sepsi, Petrolul Ploiesti, Progresul Spartac and Concordia Chiajna.
The other two groups look every bit as intriguing on paper. Group C features FC Arges, FCSB, FC Bihor, Csikszereda, Gloria Bistrita and CSM Corona Brasov, while Group D lines up Universitatea Craiova, Dinamo, FC Voluntari, Chindia Targoviste, CS Sporting Liesti and FC Bacau.
The Standout Pairings
A few of the groupings immediately caught the eye. Group C throws together FCSB and FC Arges, two clubs with recent history between them, while Group D delivers a genuine heavyweight clash by placing Universitatea Craiova and Dinamo in the very same section right from the start.
For the less fashionable names, these draws represent an enormous opportunity. Clubs like Corvinul Hunedoara, Csikszereda or Minerul Lupeni now have a real platform to test themselves against the elite and, perhaps, to author one of those famous cup shocks that Romanian supporters cherish so dearly.
What's at Stake
Beyond pride and progress, there is a tangible reward waiting at the finish line. The Cupa Romaniei has long served as a gateway to European competition, with its eventual winner traditionally earning a coveted place on the continental stage the following season, a huge incentive for every side involved.
As the group matches finally get under way, the familiar magic of the cup returns once again. Over the coming weeks, giants will be pushed hard, underdogs will dare to dream, and somewhere in the fixtures already drawn, the story of this season's Cupa Romaniei has quietly begun to write itself.
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