Two long excursions and one derby shape the journey for Alicante clubs in the first round of the King’s Cup, with Hercules hosting La Nucia at Rico Perez, while old rivals travel to Pontevedra to test their mettle. FC and Intercity will head to Cintruénigo in Navarre to face Cirbonero Athletics Club, continuing a tradition of early-season travel across regional borders.
The first round features three eliminations conducted as single matches on consecutive days, November 12 and 13, with the aim of producing three provincial survivors who advance to the next phase. Elche will begin their Cup campaign against Alkora from Castellón, a team that reached the draw after overcoming a previous round, and earned their place in the draw following triumph in the Nostra Copa, a competition that brought together more than 350 teams from the community on June 6. This marks the start of their journey in the Copa del Rey’s opening stage, which precedes the bigger rounds.
The draw took place this Monday, October 24, at 12:30 in the Luis Aragonés Hall inside the football city of Las Rozas. After a panel highlighting a new documentary series called Everyone’s Cup, which shares standout moments from the most modest clubs in the latest season of the competition, the participants pulled the balls to decide the fixtures for November 12-13. Oscar Quesada, a midfielder for Mancha Real, and Rene Román, the goalkeeper for Atlético Baleares, were tasked with determining the fates of the Alicante clubs.
RFEF president Luis Rubiales, hosting the event, underscored the format’s significance: “It has revolutionized modest football. With the new format, we are distributing 112 million euros to modest football, a considerable jump from the previous figure.”
One hundred ten clubs began the competition, with 16 from the First division, 20 from the Second, 19 from the First RFEF, 34 from the Second RFEF, four from the Third RFEF, and 10 regional entrants. They will play 55 one-off matches, with the lower sub-categories always hosting, echoing the case of Hercules. Eldense, Intercity, and Elche will enjoy home advantage for their debuts.
The draw favored Blue and White clubs by giving them the chance to face an opponent from a higher tier, but the ball’s gray area came up in the penultimate match ended when Second Division teams had already been separated into groups. The excitement was palpable as teams prepared for the knockout phase that follows the initial rounds.
55 matches that will begin the KO tournament
► The fixtures were drawn in the Las Rozas celebration, based on the balls drawn during the event in Madrid:
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L’Alcora vs Elche
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Velarde vs Sevilla
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Santa Amalia vs Villarreal
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CD Rincon vs RCD Espanyol
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CD Autol vs Mallorca
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CD Fuentes vs Osasuna
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Algor vs Celtic
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CD Cazalegas vs Real Sociedad
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UD Barbadas vs Real Valladolid
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Mollerussa vs Rayo Vallecano
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Royal Union vs Cadiz
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CD Arenteiro vs UD Almería
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UD Alzira vs Athletic Club
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CD San Roque vs Getafe
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Quintanar del Rey vs Girona
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Almazán vs Athletic Madrid
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CD Manacor vs FC Andorra
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CF Vimenor vs Mirandés
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Huétor Tájar vs Albacete
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Loyalty of Villaviciosa vs Tenerife
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CD Las Rozas vs Eibar
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Pena Deportiva vs Málaga
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Olot vs Levante
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Yeclano vs Granada
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Guadalajara vs Ponferradina
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CD Alfaro vs FC Cartagena
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Entertainment vs Burgos CF
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Teruel vs Las Palmas
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Gernika vs Leganés
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Gymnastics vs Real Oviedo
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CD Diocese vs Real Zaragoza
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Youth Torremolinos vs SD Hueca
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Arenas Club vs Lugo
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Palencia Cristo Atlético vs UD Ibiza
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Beasain vs Sporting
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Lleida vs Alavés
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CD Guijuelo vs Deportivo
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Atlético Paso vs Real Murcia
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Utebo vs Merida
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Cacereno vs Córdoba
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Ibiza Pitiusas Islands vs Rayo Majadahonda
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Coruxo vs old
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Atlético Saguntino vs Amorebieta
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Manresa vs Pontevedra
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Coria vs Fuenlabrada
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AD San Juan vs Numancia
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Cirbonero Athletics Club vs Intercity
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CD Arnedo vs Atletico Baleares
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Union Adarve vs Linares
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Navalcarnero vs UD Logroñés
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Race Rioja vs Gimnastic Tarragona
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Ourense vs Alcorcón
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Sestao River vs Ferrol
- Hercules vs La Nucía
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Utrera vs Ceuta FC
Calendar, first three rounds of King’s Cup 22-23
► Phase one: November 12 and 13, 2022
► Second phase: December 21, 2022
► Last 32: January 4, 2023