The 2025–26 Carabao Cup is underway as teams from the Premier League all the way down to League Two compete in England’s secondary cup competition.
While failing to match the prestige of the FA Cup, it remains a staple of the football calendar with a sizeable prize at its conclusion. For Premier League sides, it offers a genuine opportunity of major silverware and a memorable trip to Wembley Stadium. For those in lower divisions, it serves as a battleground for giant killings and can provide a much-needed cash injection.
Liverpool are the competition’s most successful club with ten past titles to their name and they have featured in three of the last four finals. However, despite their Premier League success, the Reds were unable to defend their crown last season.
Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are among those aiming to close the gap between themselves and Liverpool, while a host of sides will be aiming to replicate Newcastle United in 2024–25 by winning the trophy for the first time this term.
Carabao Cup 2025–26 Round Dates
Carabao Cup Second Round Draw
When Is the Carabao Cup Third Round Draw?
The Carabao Cup second round fixtures will be played week commencing Aug. 25, at which point the nine remaining Premier League teams not yet involved—owing to playing in European competition—will be entered.
The third round draw is expected to take place that week.
When Is the Carabao Cup Final?
The Carabao Cup final will once again be staged at Wembley Stadium and this year’s showpiece event will take place on March 22, 2026.
This is a week later than last year’s final and will force some rescheduling in the English football calendar, with the Premier League most likely to be affected by the big match.
Who Was the Last Team to Win the Carabao Cup?
Newcastle ended their agonising 70-year wait for domestic silverware by beating Liverpool in last season’s Carabao Cup final, with Dan Burn and Alexander Isak scoring in a 2–1 victory at Wembley for the Magpies.
Including the Reds, Newcastle beat five Premier League sides en route to the title. They conquered Nottingham Forest in the second round, Chelsea in the fourth, Brentford in the last eight and then Arsenal in the semi-final before triumphing over Liverpool.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Carabao Cup 2025–26: Draw, Fixtures, Round by Round Guide.
