The
KNVB Beker (, ) is a competition in the
Netherlands organized by the
Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) since 1898. It was based on the format of the English
FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the
Dutch Cup. The tournament consists of all teams from the top three tiers of Dutch league football (
Eredivisie,
Eerste Divisie and
Topklasse), as well as the 24 semi-finalists (or replacements) of regional amateur cup tournaments. The finals of the tournament traditionally takes place in
De Kuip, and has been held there every season since 1988. The winners of the cup compete against the winners of the Eredivisie for the
Johan Cruijff Shield, which acts as the curtain raiser for the following season.