The tournament is currently open to all clubs registered in the Belgian football league system, although clubs outside the top 5 levels, playing in the regional Belgian Provincial Leagues can only qualify through regional cup tournaments.
The competition culminates at the end of the league season (usually in May) with the Belgian Cup Final, although in recent years it has sometimes taken place in March or April ahead of the end of season playoffs.
The vast majority of Belgian Cup Final matches have been in Brussels: most of these were played at the King Baudouin Stadium, which has been the location since 1996.
The other venues used for the final before 1996 were the Stade Maurice Dufrasne (1994), the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium (1985, 1987, 1993 & 1995), Olympiastadion (1986 & 1992), the Stade Joseph Marien (1927 & 1935), the Stade du Vivier d'Oie (1914), the former Rue du Forest Stadium (1913) and the temporary pitch of Daring Club de Bruxelles located in Jette (1912).
The longest span between repeated finals is Anderlecht v Club Brugge, occurring 38 years apart in 1977 and 2015.