Copa de la España Libre (''Free Spain Cup''), also referred to as the Copa de la España Libre – Trofeo Presidente de la República, was a football competition played in the

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

area of

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

during the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, link ...

. The competition, played out in June and July 1937, was won by

Levante FC Levante Football Club was a football club in Valencia, Spain. It was a predecessor of current Levante UD. History The club was founded in 1909 as "Levante Football Club". In 1939 Levante FC and Gimnástico FC merged into " Levante Unión Deport ...

History

It was originally intended that the top four teams from the Mediterranean League would enter the competition, but

FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially known as Barça (), is a professional football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football. Found ...

opted instead to tour

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. As a result,

, who had finished fifth in the league, took their place. The other three teams to enter were

Valencia CF Valencia Club de Fútbol (, ca-valencia, València Club de Futbol ), commonly referred to as Valencia CF (or simply Valencia) is a professional football club based in Valencia, Spain, that currently plays in La Liga, the top flight of the Spa ...

, CE Espanyol and Girona FC. The first stage of the competition was played as a mini-league with the top two teams,

and Valencia FC, then qualifying for the final. For seventy years Levante UD unsuccessfully claimed this competition was the equivalent the

Copa del Rey The Campeonato de España–Copa de Su Majestad el Rey, commonly known as Copa del Rey or simply La Copa and formerly known as Copa del Presidente de la República (1932–36) and Copa del Generalísimo (1939–76), is an annual knockout footb ...

. Although in 2007 the

Congress of Deputies The Congress of Deputies ( es, link=no, Congreso de los Diputados, italic=unset) is the lower house of the Cortes Generales, Spain's legislative branch. The Congress meets in the Palace of the Parliament () in Madrid. It has 350 members elect ...

urged Royal Spanish Football Federation to recognise it as a

win for Levante UD, the governing body of Spanish football has not taken a decision yet.''La FEF no reconocerá al Barça la Liga del año 37''
/ref>

Group Stage Table

Final

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Copa De La Espana Libre Copa Football in the Valencian Community Defunct football competitions in Spain Football in Catalonia Wartime association football Spanish Civil War History of football in Spain Copa del Rey