Follow live coverage as Stoke City face Bradford City in the EFL Cup.
Newcastle are the reigning champions of the competition following a stunning win over Liverpool at Wembley last term, with Alexander Isak proving decisive to end the club's 70-year domestic trophy drought.
While all 72 clubs from the football league enter from the first round, Premier League teams enter at the second or third round stage, the latter for clubs competing in Europe this season.
The final is slated for 22 March 2026 this term, at Wembley as usual, marking the first chance for teams to earn both a trophy and a place in next season’s Uefa competitions. Follow updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Stoke City FC 0 - 3 Bradford City AFC
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:30Substitution, Bradford City. Josh Neufville replaces George Lapslie.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:34Substitution, Bradford City. Bobby Pointon replaces Tyreik Wright.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:32Substitution, Bradford City. Nick Powell replaces Will Swan.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:29Offside, Stoke City. Jamie Donley is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:29Attempt blocked. Tatsuki Seko (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:25Attempt missed. Alex Pattison (Bradford City) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:25Substitution, Stoke City. Will Smith replaces Ben Pearson.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:13Foul by Róbert Bozeník (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:12Substitution, Stoke City. Ben Gibson replaces Maksym Talovierov.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:09Substitution, Stoke City. Tatsuki Seko replaces Bosun Lawal.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:09Goal! Stoke City 0, Bradford City 3. George Lapslie (Bradford City) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:07Attempt saved. Will Swan (Bradford City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Jack Bonham (Stoke City). Assisted by Ciarán Kelly.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:07Substitution, Bradford City. Alex Pattison replaces Jenson Metcalfe.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:07Foul by Ben Pearson (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:04Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Will Swan.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:04Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Sam Walker.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:03Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Ibou Touray.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:03Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:03Delay in match because of an injury Róbert Bozeník (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:04Foul by Róbert Bozeník (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:02Attempt blocked. Eric-Junior Bocat (Stoke City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jamie Donley.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:00Foul by Favour Fawunmi (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:00Jenson Metcalfe (Bradford City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
21:00Bosun Lawal (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:59Attempt saved. Jamie Donley (Stoke City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Sam Walker (Bradford City). Assisted by Róbert Bozeník.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:58Jaden Mears (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:55Corner, Bradford City. Conceded by Maksym Talovierov.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:55Attempt blocked. George Lapslie (Bradford City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tyreik Wright with a cross.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:55Foul by Róbert Bozeník (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:56Attempt missed. Jaden Mears (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:52Bosun Lawal (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:52Jaden Mears (Stoke City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:52Second Half begins Stoke City 0, Bradford City 2.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:37First Half ends, Stoke City 0, Bradford City 2.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:37Maksym Talovierov (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:31Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:29Attempt missed. Róbert Bozeník (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:29Jaden Mears (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:28Foul by Maksym Talovierov (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:28Attempt blocked. Maksym Talovierov (Stoke City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:39Attempt blocked. Chinonso Chibueze (Stoke City) left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Jamie Donley with a cross.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:28Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Ciarán Kelly.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:28Attempt blocked. Róbert Bozeník (Stoke City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ben Pearson.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:28Attempt blocked. Jamie Donley (Stoke City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:28Foul by Joe Wright (Bradford City).
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:27Ciarán Kelly (Bradford City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:26Foul by Ciarán Kelly (Bradford City).
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:23Attempt missed. Aden Baldwin (Bradford City) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:22Attempt missed. Favour Fawunmi (Stoke City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Eric-Junior Bocat with a cross.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:22Attempt blocked. Tyreik Wright (Bradford City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Tommy Leigh with a headed pass.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:22Ibou Touray (Bradford City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:22Ibou Touray (Bradford City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:22Jenson Metcalfe (Bradford City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:19Attempt blocked. Róbert Bozeník (Stoke City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Chinonso Chibueze.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:17Goal! Stoke City 0, Bradford City 2. Brad Halliday (Bradford City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by George Lapslie.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:13Foul by Jenson Metcalfe (Bradford City).
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:13Attempt missed. Brad Halliday (Bradford City) left footed shot from outside the box is too high following a set piece situation.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:13Brad Halliday (Bradford City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:11Attempt missed. Joe Wright (Bradford City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Tommy Leigh with a cross following a corner.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:10Corner, Bradford City. Conceded by Ben Pearson.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:09Foul by Chinonso Chibueze (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:09Jamie Donley (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:09Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:05Delay in match because of an injury Tyreik Wright (Bradford City).
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:05Foul by Róbert Bozeník (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:04Goal! Stoke City 0, Bradford City 1. Will Swan (Bradford City) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Tyreik Wright with a cross following a corner.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
20:01Corner, Bradford City. Conceded by Ashley Phillips.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
19:59Tommy Leigh (Bradford City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
19:58Attempt missed. Tyreik Wright (Bradford City) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Tommy Leigh.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
19:53Offside, Stoke City. Róbert Bozeník is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
19:52Jaden Mears (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
19:50Attempt missed. Joe Wright (Bradford City) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Tyreik Wright with a cross following a corner.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
19:48Corner, Bradford City. Conceded by Chinonso Chibueze.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
19:47Foul by Will Swan (Bradford City).
Stoke City vs Bradford City
19:46First Half begins.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
19:15Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Stoke City vs Bradford City
17:45Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
We will have all the latest scores, goals and updates plus analysis and reaction throughout the game here. This season we're bringing you live coverage from every match in the Premier League, WSL, Championship, Carabao Cup and FA Cup from the third round onwards - as well as the best from the Champions League and beyond in Europe.
