Carabao Cup 2025–26: Complete Draw Results, Key Fixtures & Your Round-by-Round Roadmap
The 2025–26 Carabao Cup has commenced with clubs from the Premier League through League Two participating in England's second-tier cup tournament.
Though it doesn't possess the same prestige as the FA Cup, it continues to be a fixture in the football schedule with substantial rewards awaiting the winner. For top-flight teams, it presents a real chance at major honors and an unforgettable journey to Wembley Stadium. For lower-league clubs, it acts as a platform for upsets and can deliver vital financial benefits.
Liverpool holds the record as the tournament's most victorious team with ten championships and have appeared in three of the past four finals. Nevertheless, despite their top-flight dominance, the Merseyside club couldn't retain their title in the previous campaign.
Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are among the clubs looking to narrow the distance between themselves and Liverpool, while numerous teams will be hoping to emulate Newcastle United's 2024–25 achievement by claiming the trophy for the first time this season.
Carabao Cup 2025–26 Round Dates
Round | Date |
|---|---|
Preliminary round | July 29–August 5, 2025 |
First round | August 12–19, 2025 |
Second round | w/c August 25, 2025 |
Third round | w/c September 15 and w/c September 22, 2025 |
Fourth round | w/c October 27, 2025 |
Fifth round | w/c December 15, 2025 |
Semi-finals | w/c January 12 and w/c February 2, 2025 |
Final | March 22, 2026 |
When Is the Carabao Cup Draw?
With the opening round of the Carabao Cup nearly complete, focus shifts to the second round. The draw for the upcoming fixtures occurs on Wednesday, August 13.
North Section
Ball Number | Team (Northern Section) |
|---|---|
1 | Accrington Stanley |
2 | Bradford City |
3 | Burnley |
4 | Derby County |
5 | Doncaster Rovers |
6 | Everton |
7 | Grimsby Town |
8 | Leeds United |
9 | Lincoln City |
10 | Manchester United |
11 | Mansfield Town |
12 | Port Vale |
13 | Preston North End |
14 | Rotherham United |
15 | Stockport County |
16 | Stoke City |
17 | Sunderland |
18 | Wigan Athletic |
19 | Wrexham |
20 | Barnsley or Fleetwood Town |
21 | Birmingham City or Sheffield United |
22 | Bolton Wanderers or Sheffield Wednesday |
23 | Huddersfield Town or Leicester City |
24 | Tranmere Rovers or Burton Albion |
South Section
Ball Number | Team (Northern Section) |
|---|---|
1 | Bournemouth |
2 | AFC Wimbledon |
3 | Brentford |
4 | Brighton & Hove Albion |
5 | Bristol City |
6 | Bromley |
7 | Cambridge United |
8 | Cardiff City |
9 | Charlton Athletic |
10 | Coventry City |
11 | Fulham |
12 | Millwall |
13 | Norwich City |
14 | Oxford United |
15 | Plymouth Argyle |
16 | Reading |
17 | Southampton |
18 | Swansea City |
19 | West Ham United |
20 | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
21 | Wycombe Wanderers |
22 | Cheltenham Town or Exeter City |
Carabao Cup Fixtures and Results
When Is the Carabao Cup Final?
The Carabao Cup final will be held at Wembley Stadium once more and this year's championship match is scheduled for March 22, 2026.
This date is seven days later than the previous year's final and will require some adjustments to the English football calendar, with the Premier League likely to be most impacted by the major fixture.
Who Was the Last Team to Win the Carabao Cup?
Newcastle concluded their painful 70-year drought for domestic trophies by defeating Liverpool in the previous season's Carabao Cup final, with Dan Burn and Alexander Isak finding the net in a 2–1 triumph at Wembley for the Tyneside club.
Including the Reds, Newcastle overcame five Premier League opponents on their path to glory. They defeated Nottingham Forest in the second round, Chelsea in the fourth, Brentford in the quarter-finals and then Arsenal in the semi-final before prevailing against Liverpool.