The Royal Spanish Football Federation, known as RFEF, announced a formal recognition of the official status for the 1937 Spanish Cup not Containing the Republic Cup, with Levante UD named as the champion for that year. This decision marks the 1937 title as the sole achievement of the club in its history to date.
At the suggestion of the RFEF president, the authority also acknowledged the 1912 Spain Competition title, following the institution’s notification of its validity.
Levante UD has long pursued recognition for this era. A portion of the title’s legitimacy rests on Levante’s victory over Valencia in the 1937 final. The club and the Valencian Community Football Federation presented a formal case to the RFEF in 2019, highlighting sporting events that warranted official recognition of the title.
The RFEF has historically emphasized the exceptional circumstances of the moment and the civil war context, noting the documentary evidence that confirms the tournament was held.
The club took a decisive step last October by submitting the pertinent documents to the Secretary of State for Democratic Memory. The submission followed the approval and enactment of the Democratic Memory Act, which provided a mechanism for formal recognition.
The RFEF Board of Directors, acting on the request of Luis Rubiales, approved the recognition as follows:
➡️ Levante UD 1937 as champion of the Spanish Cup Not Containing the Republic Cup
➡️ Deportivo de La Coruña 1912 as champion of the Spain Competition
More information: cited sources indicate the official nature of these recognitions were communicated by the RFEF on 25 March 2023
– RFEF official channels
Official statement from RFEF
The RFEF board is scheduled to meet in Malaga ahead of the 2024 European Cup qualifying match between the national team and Norway. At the request of the federation president, the official recognition of the Spanish Cup without a Cup competition was confirmed. Levante Football Club has been affirmed as the 1937 champion.
The 1937 competition was held in Barcelona on July 18 between Valencia and Levante. Levante prevailed. In 2019, Levante UD and the Valencian Community Federation briefed the RFEF on a set of sporting events seeking recognition of the title, with acknowledgment of the exceptional context of the civil war and the tournament itself. The decision drew on agreements from the FIFA meetings held in Paris in November 2019, as well as other world football accords adopted in 2017, to guide recognition practices.
Similarly, the board recognized the official status of the Concurso España competition and awarded Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña the title of champion for 1912. All submitted documents were reviewed, and expert assessments in football history were taken into account to support the decision.
These actions align with the long-standing effort to document and honor historical competitions, ensuring the record reflects the integrity and context of the era while acknowledging the pedigree of the clubs involved.