Carabao Cup 2026/27: Schedule, Draws & Results Overview

The Carabao Cup, also known as the EFL Cup or League Cup, is now in its 67th edition. Winning this trophy brings more than just a place in history; the champions secure a spot in the next season's Europa Conference League along with a cash prize.

This guide covers all you need to know about the competition, including fixture dates, match outcomes, draws, and where to watch live.

First Round Matches and Results

The opening round kicked off on August 6, 2026, with Walsall from League Two surprising Championship side Bristol City to advance. Thirty-five other matches took place between August 7 and 10, split into Northern and Southern sections.

• Northern Section Matches:
• Aug 7: Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 Port Vale (Sky Sports + UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 7: Middlesbrough 1-0 Wrexham (Sky Sports/ITV1 UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 8: Barnsley (P) 1-1 Wigan Athletic (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Bradford City 2-0 Rochdale (Sky Sports)
• Aug 8: Burnley (P) 1-1 Notts County (Sky Sports + UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 8: Burton Albion 1-2 Blackburn Rovers (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Crewe Alexandra 2-1 Accrington Stanley (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Derby County 1-2 Lincoln City (Sky Sports + UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 8: Fleetwood Town 1-0 Chesterfield (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Grimsby Town 1-3 Blackpool (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Preston North End (P) 1-1 Huddersfield Town (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Salford City 1-1 (P) Shrewsbury Town (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Bolton Wanderers (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Stockport County 1-1 (P) Doncaster Rovers (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Stoke City 2-0 Oldham Athletic (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Rotherham United 1-4 West Bromwich Albion (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 9: Mansfield Town 0-3 Sheffield United (Sky Sports)
• Aug 6: Bristol City 0-1 Walsall (Sky Sports + UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 7: Wycombe 1-2 Stevenage (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: AFC Wimbledon (P) 1-1 Newport County (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Bristol Rovers 0-1 Peterborough United (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Bromley 1-1 (P) Reading (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Cambridge United 2-1 Barnet (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Cardiff City 3-2 Swindon Town (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Gillingham 0-3 Luton Town (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Leicester City 1-0 Northampton Town (Sky Sports + UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 8: Leyton Orient 2-0 Oxford United (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Norwich City 4-1 MK Dons (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Queens Park Rangers 1-1 (P) Millwall (Sky Sports + UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 8: Swansea City 0-1 Birmingham City (Sky Sports + UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 8: Watford 1-0 Crawley Town (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: West Ham United 3-1 Portsmouth (Sky Sports + UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 8: Cheltenham Town 1-3 Charlton Athletic (Sky Sports +)
• Aug 8: Colchester United 0-2 Southampton (Sky Sports)
• Aug 10: Plymouth Argyle 2-0 Exeter City (Sky Sports)

Second Round Draw and Results

The second round draw happened on August 10, 2026. Matches were played on August 25, 26, and 27.

• Northern Section Second Round:
• Aug 25: Doncaster Rovers 1-3 Middlesbrough (Sky Sports+)
• Aug 25: Barnsley 3-2 Crewe Alexandra (Sky Sports+)
• Aug 25: Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Sheffield United (Sky Sports+)
• Aug 25: Blackpool 1-4 Lincoln City (Sky Sports+)
• Aug 25: Fleetwood Town 4-0 Shrewsbury Town (Sky Sports+)
• Aug 25: Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Wolves (Sky Sports+)
• Aug 25: Stoke City 1-1 (P) Hull City (Sky Sports+)
• Aug 25: Nottingham Forest 0-2 Leeds United (Sky Sports Main Event, ITV1 UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 26: Bradford City (P) 0-0 Burnley (Sky Sports+ UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 26: Newcastle United 3-2 West Brom (Sky Sports+ UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 26: Preston 0-4 Everton (Sky Sports Main Event UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 25: Cardiff City 1-2 Norwich City (Sky Sports+ UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 25: Cambridge United 0-1 Millwall (Sky Sports+)
• Aug 25: Ipswich Town 3-1 Leicester City (Sky Sports+ UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 25: Plymouth Argyle 2-4 Coventry City (Sky Sports+)
• Aug 25: Southampton 1-4 West Ham (Sky Sports+ UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 25: Stevenage 0-3 Reading (Sky Sports+)
• Aug 25: Walsall 0-0 (P) Leyton Orient (Sky Sports+)
• Aug 25: Watford 1-5 Peterborough United (Sky Sports+)
• Aug 25: Birmingham City 1-6 Brentford (Sky Sports+ UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 26: Tottenham 5-1 Charlton Athletic (Sky Sports+ UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 27: Chelsea 2-0 Luton Town (Sky Sports+ UK, Paramount+ US)
• Aug 27: Fulham 3-0 AFC Wimbledon (Sky Sports+ UK, Paramount+ US)

Third Round Details

Matches for the third round occurred during the weeks starting September 8 and September 15. Nine Premier League teams, including Arsenal and Manchester United, joined at this stage, making 16 ties in total.

Some fixtures, such as Everton vs Wolves and Liverpool vs Tottenham, had to be rescheduled due to clashes with UEFA Champions League games. The EFL stated they tried to negotiate but UEFA refused to move Liverpool’s match.

• Sep 8: Bournemouth 4-0 Lincoln City (Sky Sports / Paramount+)
• Sep 8: Crystal Palace 3-0 Middlesbrough (Sky Sports / Paramount+)
• Sep 8: Leyton Orient 1-3 Bradford City (Sky Sports / Paramount+)
• Sep 8: Sunderland 1-0 Hull City (Sky Sports / Paramount+)
• Sep 8: Millwall 0-1 Newcastle United (Sky Sports / Paramount+)
• Sep 9: Chelsea 6-3 Leeds United (Sky Sports Main Event / Paramount+)
• Sep 15: Peterborough United (P) 3-3 Barnsley (Sky Sports+ / Paramount+)
• Sep 15: West Ham 2-3 Fulham (Sky Sports+ / Paramount+)
• Sep 15: Ipswich Town 2-4 Arsenal (Sky Sports+ / Paramount+)
• Sep 15: Liverpool 3-1 Tottenham (Sky Sports Main Event, ITV4 / Paramount+)
• Sep 15: Reading 1-2 Brentford (Sky Sports+ / Paramount+)
• Sep 16: Everton 1-0 Wolves (Sky Sports+ / Paramount+)
• Sep 16: Fleetwood Town 1-0 Sheffield United (Sky Sports+ / Paramount+)
• Sep 16: Coventry City 1-3 Aston Villa (Sky Sports+ / Paramount+)
• Sep 16: Manchester United 2-3 Brighton (Sky Sports Main Event, ITV1 / Paramount+)
• Sep 17: Manchester City 5-0 Norwich City (Sky Sports+ / Paramount+)

Fourth Round Highlights

The fourth round draw took place on September 16 during the Manchester United vs Brighton match, which Brighton won. Sunderland and Bournemouth moved forward with home victories over Brentford and Aston Villa. Manchester City eliminated Brighton after a penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw.

Liverpool and Chelsea also needed penalties to decide their tie after a 1-1 draw, with Liverpool advancing.

Lower league teams remain, including Bradford City facing Peterborough United and Fleetwood Town, who upset Arsenal.

• Oct 27: Bradford City 2-0 Peterborough United (Sky Sports / Paramount+)
• Oct 27: Fleetwood Town (P) 1-1 Arsenal (Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football / Paramount+)
• Oct 28: Manchester City (P) 2-2 Brighton (Sky Sports / Paramount+)
• Oct 28: Bournemouth 3-0 Aston Villa (Sky Sports / Paramount+)
• Oct 28: Fulham 0-1 Crystal Palace (Sky Sports / Paramount+)
• Oct 28: Sunderland 3-2 Brentford (Sky Sports / Paramount+)
• Oct 28: Liverpool (P) 1-1 Chelsea (Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football, ITV1, ITVX / Paramount+)
• Oct 29: Everton vs Newcastle United (Sky Sports / Paramount+)

Quarter-Final Draw and Fixtures

The quarter-final draw was held on October 28. Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth will visit Liverpool. Manchester City hosts Bradford City, while Crystal Palace and Sunderland face off in an all-Premier League clash at Selhurst Park. Fleetwood Town's run continues with either Everton or Newcastle visiting Highbury Stadium.

• w/c Dec 14, 2026: Fleetwood Town vs Everton or Newcastle (Sky Sports / Paramount+)
• w/c Dec 14, 2026: Manchester City vs Bradford City (Sky Sports / Paramount+)
• w/c Dec 14, 2026: Crystal Palace vs Sunderland (Sky Sports / Paramount+)
• w/c Dec 14, 2026: Liverpool vs Bournemouth (Sky Sports / Paramount+)

Important Carabao Cup Dates

• First Round: week commencing August 3, 2026
• Second Round: week commencing August 24, 2026
• Third Round: weeks commencing September 7 and 14, 2026
• Fourth Round: week commencing October 26, 2026
• Quarter-finals: week commencing December 14, 2026
• Semi-final First Leg: week commencing January 11, 2027
• Semi-final Second Leg: week commencing February 1, 2027
• Final: Sunday, March 21, 2027

Prize Money Breakdown

Alongside qualification for European football, the winner receives £100,000 in prize money. For instance, Manchester City earned this amount after beating Arsenal in the 2026 final. Bonuses are awarded for progress through the rounds:

• Semi-finalists: £25,000
• Runners-up: £50,000
• Winners: £100,000

Where to Watch the Carabao Cup

In the UK, matches air on Sky Sports and Sky Sports +, with select games on ITV1. US viewers can catch some fixtures on CBS Sports channels, Paramount+, and the Golazo Network. Other territories include:

• Canada: DAZN
• Australia and New Zealand: beIN Sports