The Coupe de France Round of 64 begins this week, with most Ligue 1 teams facing off against clubs from lower divisions. Before delving into the upcoming matches, we’ve taken a moment to explore the illustrious history of France's domestic cup.
On January 5, 1917, the French Interfederal Committee, a precursor to the French Football Federation, inaugurated the Coupe de France. The competition was known as the Coupe Charles Simon between 1917 and 1919.
The competition embraces a single-elimination knockout structure and is open to all amateur and professional clubs in French football. Additionally, teams from France's overseas departments and territories are invited to participate.
Another unique aspect of the tournament is the numbering. In Coupe de France matches, players must wear shirt numbers 1–20, regardless of their squad numbers. The starting players are specifically assigned numbers 1–11.
Paris Saint-Germain boasts the most illustrious record in the history of the Coupe de France, having clinched the coveted trophy 14 times. The present captain of PSG, Marquinhos, has celebrated victory in the domestic cup six times, presenting the possibility of securing his seventh title this 2023-24 season.
Olympique de Marseille rank second behind their eternal rival with ten Coupe de France trophies. The Parisians and Marseille have appeared in the most finals, having played in nineteen each.
After OM and PSG, there's a gap, with Lille OSC and AS Saint-Étienne coming in third with six Coupe de France titles. After winning their first Coupe de France last year, Toulouse FC are the reigning champions and will be looking to defend their crown.
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