Tonight, the Skonto Stadium in Riga will host the Latvian Cup Final between Riga FC, freshly crowned champions of the Latvian Virslīga, and FK Auda, who will aim not only to claim their second Latvian Cup title but also to secure the final European competition spot for next season. Kick-off is at 19:45.
Having sealed the league title last Friday, Riga FC now seek to complete a memorable domestic double, lifting both of Latvia’s major trophies in the same season. A win tonight would mark their third Latvian Cup overall – and the first since 2023.
Riga’s road to the final has been dominant. They began their campaign in mid-July with a 4-0 win over FK Tukums 2000, followed by a 10-0 demolition of Riga Mariners, a side from the Latvian First League. In the semifinals at the end of September, Riga comfortably defeated FK Liepāja 4-0, reaching the final without conceding a single goal.
In contrast, FK Auda’s path to the final has been filled with late drama and narrow escapes. In the round of 16, a 95th-minute winner by Andrej Bogičević secured a 1-0 win over FK Grobiņa. The quarterfinals brought another nail-biter – after Paulo Eduardo’s injury-time goal forced extra time against SK Super Nova, Kader Kone struck twice in the extra period to seal Auda’s progress.
Then came the biggest challenge: defending cup holders FC RFS. In a tight semifinal clash, Auda emerged victorious with a 2-0 win in Rīga, stunning the champions and booking their place in the final once again.
Both head coaches have a chance to make personal history tonight. Adrian Guľa (Riga FC) could win his first domestic cup as a manager, adding it to league titles in both Slovakia and Latvia. Meanwhile, Didier Zanetti (Auda) could capture the first major trophy of his coaching career.
While Riga FC already have their European ticket secured, this final carries massive implications for FK Auda. Their European future hangs on the result: a victory tonight guarantees them a place in next season’s continental competitions. However, if Riga FC lift the trophy, the final European spot will go to the highest-placed team in the Virslīga not already qualified – a battle currently between BFC Daugavpils and Auda. With two league rounds left, Auda trail Daugavpils by four points, meaning anything less than victory tonight could end their three-year streak of European appearances.
This will be Riga FC’s fifth Latvian Cup final. The club lost their first two attempts in 2017 – once on penalties to FK Ventspils and once 0-2 to FK Liepāja. Their first Cup triumph came in 2018, once again playing against Ventspils, this time winning on penalties. After a five-year wait, Riga lifted their second trophy in 2023, beating FC RFS in a shootout.
For FK Auda, this marks their third Cup final in four years. They stunned RFS in 2022 with a 1-0 victory, courtesy of a goal from Daniils Ulimbaševs, claiming their first-ever Cup title and qualifying for Europe for the first time in club history. However, in 2023, they fell 2-4 in extra time to RFS.
The two sides have already met four times this season. Riga FC have won three encounters, while the first meeting of the year ended in a draw at Mežaparks Sports Village.
One lingering question remains – whether Auda will be allowed to field players on loan from Riga FC, as several key squad members are owned by tonight’s opponents. Current indications suggest they will be cleared to play, setting up a full-strength, high-stakes clash.
