Definition
The 1982 Lilian Cup was a football (soccer) competition held in Israel, representing the inaugural edition of the Lilian Cup tournament organized by the Israel Football Association (IFA).
Overview
The tournament took place in the summer of 1982, preceding the start of the 1982–83 Israeli league season. It featured clubs that had performed prominently in the preceding league campaign, serving as a pre‑season showcase and an opportunity for teams to assess new players and tactics. The competition format and exact schedule varied in subsequent editions; the 1982 edition was organized as a short‑duration knockout tournament. The final match determined the first holder of the Lilian Cup, though publicly available records of the participating clubs, match results, and the eventual champion are limited.
Etymology / Origin
The cup was named “Lilian” in honor of an individual or entity bearing that name, though precise details regarding the namesake (e.g., whether it commemorated a former IFA official, a benefactor, or a sponsor) have not been definitively documented in accessible reliable sources. Consequently, the exact origin of the term “Lilian” in this context remains uncertain.
Characteristics
- Organizer: Israel Football Association (IFA).
- Participants: Typically the top‑finishing clubs from the prior Israeli league season; the 1982 edition likely included 4–8 teams, though the exact number is not confirmed.
- Format: Single‑elimination (knockout) matches culminating in a final; some later editions employed group stages, but it is unclear whether the inaugural tournament used such a system.
- Timing: Held during the off‑season summer period, serving as a preparatory competition before the official league campaign.
- Venue: Matches were played at various stadiums across Israel; specific venues for the 1982 matches are not comprehensively recorded.
Related Topics
- Lilian Cup – The broader competition series of which the 1982 edition was the first installment.
- Israel Football Association – Governing body responsible for organizing national football competitions.
- Israeli Premier League – The top division of Israeli football, whose clubs typically participated in the Lilian Cup.
- Toto Cup – Another Israeli football cup competition, introduced later and often serving a similar pre‑season function.
- Israel State Cup – The primary domestic knockout cup competition in Israeli football.
Accurate information is not confirmed for several specifics of the 1982 Lilian Cup, including the exact list of participating teams, match results, and the identity of the tournament’s namesake. Further verification from contemporary newspaper archives or official IFA records would be required to substantiate these details.