The Latvian Football Federation has rejected RFS’s request to change the date of the Latvian Cup final between Riga and Auda, confirming that the match will be played on 20th November.
RFS had previously objected to the decision, citing concerns over competitive fairness. The club and Riga are competing for the Virsliga title, while the cup also carries significance because of the UEFA Conference League qualification place attached to it.
The LFF Competition Organisation Committee said the tournament regulations require the final to be played in October or November but do not give priority to October or require the match to take place before the end of the Virsliga season. The specific date was set after the finalists had been confirmed and the domestic, UEFA and international calendars had been assessed.
The committee also considered player workloads and a joint written request from Riga FC and FK Auda to stage the final on 20th November. It acknowledged that earlier LFF communication referring to a possible October final may have created a misleading impression, but said that publication did not constitute a decision on the match date.
The LFF said winning the Latvian Cup remains an independent sporting objective and rejected the argument that the final must be played while the clubs have a particular incentive linked to their potential UEFA starting position. The decision was signed by Competition Organisation Committee chairman Dāvids Isakovs.
Riga FC head coach Adrian Gul’a also weighted in on the controversy. “Considering our calendar, it is a good decision for us,” Guľa said. “But I do not know whether it is a good decision for Auda. The fans want to see both teams at their best, but that could be difficult for Auda if their season has already finished.”
Guľa said he had learned of the date through a WhatsApp group after the decision had been made. He also said he understood why RFS had objected and called for clearer regulations.
“The federation must prepare the rules before the season, not during it,” he said. “Then everything would be clear. It cannot be the case that Riga says something or RFS says something and the match dates are changed. There must be rules.”
The Riga FC coach also used the opportunity to criticize the decision to play his side’s league match against Auda on Friday rather than Saturday, arguing that an extra day would have provided more recovery time and helped attract a larger crowd.
“I call on everyone to believe in Latvian football and to plan for the possibility that a team will reach the autumn stage of European competition,” Guľa said.
