This week, four teams are competing for a spot in the Croky Cup final. Defending champion Union was eliminated with a crushing defeat by Antwerp, guaranteeing a new champion this year. Club Brugge seems once again to be one of the strongest teams in the Jupiler Pro League, but Genk and Anderlecht are also still in the race for the cup. Read all about it in this article.
Croky Cup
Since 2015, the Belgian Cup has been known as the Croky Cup, though the tournament has existed since 1908. Over the years, Club Brugge has collected the most victories: the West Flemish club boasts 11 cup wins. Anderlecht and Standard follow with 9 and 8 titles, respectively. The current defending champion is Union, having defeated Antwerp in last year’s final.
The cup winner receives a challenge cup and qualifies for the final preliminary round of the UEFA Europa League, as well as the Belgian Super Cup.
Union began the competition as the titleholder but has already been eliminated by Antwerp. In a rematch of last year’s final, the Great Old triumphed with a stunning 5-1 victory. This makes Antwerp a formidable opponent for the other teams, all of whom are eager to lift the trophy. Club Brugge is aiming for a league and cup double this year, while Genk is having a strong season as the top seed.
Club Brugge – Genk
On Wednesday, January 15, Club Brugge and Genk will face off in the first leg of the semifinals. A high-stakes matchup, as these are the two best teams in the Belgian league. Genk currently has 4 points more than Club, but the team has played one fewer game. Even with that gap, they are 7 points ahead of Union, which sits in third place.
A repeat of their December clash is possible: Club Brugge won 2-0 at home in that match. Brandon Mechele opened the scoring in the 77th minute, followed by a precise strike from Andreas Skov Olsen to seal the victory. Club Brugge dominated the game, registering nearly four times as many shots on goal as their opponent.
Genk coach Thorsten Fink faces a luxury problem in attack: Tolu Arokodare has scored the most goals in the Jupiler Pro League this season, but Hyeon-gyu Oh is an impressive substitute who has already scored three goals in 2025. Another Genk player, Jarne Steuckers, is also in the top 10 with 7 goals. For Club Brugge, Andreas Skov Olsen ranks sixth with 8 goals, but Christos Tzolis’ efficiency cannot be overlooked; he has scored 11 goals for Club, including 7 in the Jupiler Pro League. The return leg will take place on Wednesday, February 5, with Club Brugge visiting Genk.
Anderlecht – Antwerp
The following day, Antwerp will play Anderlecht at Lotto Park. With a 10-point gap behind Club Brugge, both teams will need to invest heavily in their Jupiler Pro League campaigns, so they’re also hoping for cup success. Antwerp, as last year’s runner-up, will aim to do better this year and replicate their 2023 victory. Anderlecht hasn’t won the cup since 2008.
The last meeting between Anderlecht and Antwerp was on August 4 of last year. At the Bosuil, the Mauves took the lead before the half-hour mark after Senne Lammens failed to save a shot from Kasper Dolberg. Nearly 10 minutes later, Gyrano Kerk scored the equalizer. The decisive goal came in the 80th minute, with Majeed Ashimeru netting for Anderlecht.
There is also relief at Anderlecht regarding Kasper Dolberg, who injured his foot during the match against Club Brugge. The Danish striker has already scored 12 goals in the Jupiler Pro League and 6 in other competitions, making him Anderlecht’s most efficient player. Antwerp’s top scorer is Tjaronn Chery, who has scored 13 goals in total. The two teams will face each other again on Thursday, February 6, for the return leg at the Bosuil Stadium.
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