Mark Your Calendar: When Will the 2026 Carabao Cup Final Crown Its Champion?
The importance of the Carabao Cup is frequently underestimated until decisive moments arrive, and only two clubs now stand in the 2025–26 competition.
For Arsenal, who navigated through an uneventful yet tense semi-final second leg against Chelsea, securing their first trophy since 2020 would certainly provide substantial motivation. A Quadruple remains possible, but fans are especially eager to conclude a 22-year drought for a Premier League championship.
Manchester City remain ideally positioned to derail Arsenal's league ambitions, but Pep Guardiola's squad have rarely looked like a team capable of mounting a charge that would see them overtake the Gunners at the top. Therefore, in what might be the Spaniard's concluding season at the City helm, defeating Arsenal for the Carabao Cup could potentially mark his final triumph in Manchester.
A story-rich and captivating final awaits, but there is now a significant gap between the semi-final conclusions and the championship match.
Who is Playing in the 2026 Carabao Cup Final?
Who is Playing in the 2026 Carabao Cup Final?
This campaign, we have a rematch of the 2018 final, everyone. It's Arsenal versus Manchester City.
Arsenal have reached the Carabao Cup final for the first time since suffering a 3–0 defeat to Guardiola's City in that mentioned clash eight years prior—a sixth loss in this competition's final. For a period, it appeared City were constantly claiming this trophy, but they haven't actually returned to the final since their last victory in 2021.
The Gunners have defeated Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace (via penalties) and Chelsea to advance to the final. City have enjoyed arguably an easier path to the final, overcoming Huddersfield Town, Swansea City, Brentford and Newcastle United.
When is the 2026 Carabao Cup Final?
When is the 2026 Carabao Cup Final?
Between the semi-finals and final, there are six Premier League matchdays. Therefore, there's potential for the Premier League table summit to appear vastly different by the time Arsenal face Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
The final commences at 16:30 GMT (11:30 a.m. ET, 8:30 a.m. PT).
Arsenal were scheduled to travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League that weekend, while City were set to host Crystal Palace. Those matches will be rearranged accordingly.
Last 5 Winners of the Carabao Cup
Last 5 Winners of the Carabao Cup
Season | Winner | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
2024–25 | Newcastle | Liverpool |
2023–24 | Liverpool | Chelsea |
2022–23 | Man Utd | Newcastle |
2021–22 | Liverpool | Chelsea |
2020–21 | Man City | Tottenham |
Defeated semi-finalists Newcastle enjoyed a memorable day last year, as their 2–1 triumph over Liverpool concluded a 56-year major trophy absence. The Magpies also made the final in 2023 under Eddie Howe, but Erik ten Hag's Manchester United proved superior.
Liverpool lost the opportunity to claim consecutive titles when they met Newcastle at Wembley in 2025, having defeated Chelsea's so-called "billion pound bottlejobs" following extra time the year before. That marked the Reds' record-extending 10th League Cup success and second of the decade. In 2022, they prevailed over Chelsea after an extended penalty shootout.
Manchester City celebrated a strange success in 2021, with a sparsely-filled Wembley witnessing a lopsided final that was surprisingly settled by just one goal. Aymeric Laporte scored late to extend Tottenham Hotspur's agonizing trophy wait several more years.