64 teams contested, beginning on 17 August 2019 with the first of two preliminary rounds and was scheduled to conclude on 19 April 2020, with the final played at De Kuip in Rotterdam.

Feyenoord and Utrecht were finalists and on 24 April 2020, the KNVB Cup was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands.

The draw for the first preliminary round was performed by Sjaak Swart on 6 July 2019 at the Fox Sports NL & Eredivisie VoetbalFestival at the Jaarbeurs Utrecht.

Draw made out that HSV Hoek (4), SteDoCo (4), Sparta Nijkerk (4) and FC 's-Gravenzande (5) received a bye and are qualified for the main tournament.

The four professional teams that have placed for the group stage of any European tournament get a bye in the first round.