The 1914 Copa del Rey was the 12th edition of Spain’s premier national football cup competition. It was organized by the Federación Española de Fútbol (FEF) and took place during the spring of 1914. The tournament featured clubs from various regional championships and concluded with Athletic Club (Bilbao) being crowned champions.
Tournament format
- The competition was contested in a single‑elimination knockout format.
- Matches were scheduled for extra time and, if still tied, a replay was arranged; penalty shoot‑outs were not yet in use.
Participating clubs
Eight teams qualified for the tournament, representing the main regional leagues of the time:
| Region | Club |
|---|---|
| Biscay | Athletic Club (Bilbao) |
| Catalonia | FC Barcelona |
| Centre | Sociedad Gimnástica |
| Galicia | Real Vigo Sporting |
| Asturias | Sporting de Gijón |
| Madrid | Racing de Madrid |
| León | Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa |
| Valencia | Valencia FC |
Progression and results
- Quarter‑finals – All eight clubs entered at this stage; matches were played over a single leg.
- Semi‑finals – Athletic Club defeated Sociedad Gimnástica, while FC Barcelona overcame Real Vigo Sporting.
- Final – The decisive match was held on 1 April 1914 at the Estadio de San Mamés in Bilbao. Athletic Club defeated FC Barcelona 2–1 after extra time to secure the title.
Champion
- Athletic Club (Bilbao) – 1914 marked Athletic Club’s third Copa del Rey triumph.
Runner‑up
- FC Barcelona – The Catalan side finished as runners‑up after a closely contested final.
Historical context
The 1914 edition was notable for occurring during a period of organizational disagreement within Spanish football. In the same year, a rival competition organized by the Unión Española de Clubes de Football (UECF) was also held, with FC Barcelona emerging as the victor of that parallel tournament. Consequently, some historical records list two separate “Copa del Rey” winners for 1914; however, the competition recognized by the current Spanish football federation (FAF) is the FEF‑organized tournament won by Athletic Club.
Legacy
- The 1914 final reinforced Athletic Club’s early dominance in Spanish cup football.
- The coexistence of two tournaments in the same year highlighted the need for a unified national governing body, a consolidation that would later be achieved under the FEF.
All information presented is derived from contemporaneous match reports and the archival records of the Federación Española de Fútbol.
