About FDGB-Pokal

The FDGB-Pokal was the national football cup competition in East Germany, running from 1949 until 1991. It was organized by the Free German Trade Union Federation and functioned as the second most important football tournament in the country, behind the DDR-Oberliga. The competition followed a knockout format and was open to clubs from multiple levels of the East German football league system, including lower-division teams that could qualify through regional cup competitions.

The tournament featured a large and diverse field of participants, often involving dozens of teams in early rounds. Clubs from the top two divisions usually entered at later stages, while lower-tier teams had to progress through preliminary rounds. Matches were typically single-elimination, with ties decided in extra time or, if necessary, through replays or penalties. Over time, the competition became known for its unpredictability, as smaller clubs occasionally managed to eliminate stronger, top-flight opponents.

From the mid-1970s onward, the final was traditionally held in East Berlin and attracted large crowds, often tens of thousands of spectators. The most successful clubs in the history of the FDGB-Pokal were 1. FC Magdeburg and Dynamo Dresden, each winning the trophy multiple times. After German reunification in 1990–1991, the competition was discontinued and replaced within the unified German football system, marking the end of East Germany’s separate national cup tradition.