Channel One Cup (football)

       For ice hockey cup, see Channel One Cup (ice hockey)

The Channel One Cup (Russian: Кубок Первого канала, Kubok Pervogo Kanala) is an annual pre-season commerce football tournament, organized by Russian TV Channel One and Roman Abramovich's foundation, the National Football Academy. The participants are champions and runners up of Russia, Ukraine and Israel. The total prize fund is about 2 million dollars, with the winner getting 1 million. The cup rules specify that at least half of prize money must be channeled into developing young players.

The tournament take place in Israel at January due to the fine weather conditions and wide fan base for the Russian and Ukrainian clubs formed by Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union. The cup is used as preparation for the more major spring tournaments, however the historical antagonism between Russian and Ukrainian clubs make the matches hard fought and fans interest very high.

The first tournament took place in Tel Aviv in 2006. The Russian and Ukrainian champions and runners-up were: CSKA Moscow, Spartak Moscow, Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk.

In 2007 the format was changed, when Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv were added to the tournament. The teams were divided into two groups and the winners met in final.

In 2008 the two Russian sides were CSKA Moscow and Spartak (2nd and 3rd - Zenit St Petersburg declined to take part), the two Ukrainian: Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk, Israeli champion Beitar Jerusalem and Serbian champion Red Star Belgrade.

Cup Winners

External links

• Official website
• Channel One Cup 2006 RSSSF
• Channel One Cup 2007 RSSSF
• Channel One Cup 2008 RSSSF