The Carabao Cup - also known as the EFL Cup or the League Cup - returns for its 65th season in 2025-26, with plenty at stake for the participating clubs.
As well as prize money, prestige and the glory of writing their name into the history books, the triumphant team will also qualify for the playoff round of the following season's Europa Conference League.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about the 2025-26 Carabao Cup, including draw information, fixtures, results and more.
Carabao Cup 2025-26 first round draw, fixtures & results
Northern section
| Date | Fixture | TV channel |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 12 | Accrington Stanley/Oldham Athletic vs Peterborough United | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Barnsley vs Fleetwood Town | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Barrow vs Preston North End | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Birmingham City vs Sheffield United | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Blackburn Rovers vs Bradford City | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Blackpool vs Port Vale | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Bolton Wanderers vs Sheffield Wednesday | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Chesterfield vs Mansfield Town | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Grimsby Town vs Shrewsbury Town | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Harrogate Town vs Lincoln City | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Huddersfield Town vs Leicester City | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Middlesbrough vs Doncaster Rovers | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Salford City vs Rotherham United | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Stockport County vs Crewe Alexandra | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Stoke City vs Walsall | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Tranmere Rovers vs Burton Albion | TBC |
| Aug 12 | West Brom vs Derby County | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Wigan Athletic vs Notts County | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Wrexham vs Hull City | TBC |
Southern section
| Date | Fixture | TV channel |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 12 | Barnet/Newport County vs Millwall | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Bristol City vs MK Dons | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Bristol Rovers vs Cambridge United | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Bromley vs Ipswich Town | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Cardiff City vs Swindon Town | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Charlton Athletic vs Stevenage | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Cheltenham Town vs Exeter City | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Coventry City vs Luton Town | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Gillingham vs Wimbledon | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Leyton Orient vs Wycombe Wanderers | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Northampton Town vs Southampton | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Oxford United vs Colchester United | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Plymouth Argyle vs QPR | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Portsmouth vs Reading | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Swansea City vs Crawley Town | TBC |
| Aug 12 | Watford vs Norwich City | TBC |
Carabao Cup 2025-26 preliminary round draw, fixtures & results
Northern section
| Date | Fixture | TV channel |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 5 | Accrington Stanley vs Oldham Athletic | TBC |
Southern section
| Date | Fixture | TV channel |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 5 | Barnet vs Newport County | TBC |
Where to watch the Carabao Cup: TV channels & streaming
In the UK, a selection of Carabao Cup games are available to watch live on Sky Sports, with games also being streamed live on Sky Sports+.
In the U.S., the Carabao Cup is shown live on CBS, CBS Golazo and Paramount+.
Carabao Cup 2025-26 schedule & dates
The general schedule for the 2025-26 Carabao Cup can be found below.
| Round | Date starting |
|---|---|
| Preliminary round | August 4, 2025 |
| First round | August 11, 2025 |
| Second round | August 25, 2025 |
| Third round | September 15 & September 22, 2025 |
| Fourth round | October 27, 2025 |
| Quarter-finals | December 15, 2025 |
| Semi-finals | January 12 & February 2, 2026 |
| Final | March 25, 2026 |
Who won the last Carabao Cup?
Newcastle United are the defending champions of the Carabao Cup, having won the 2024-25 edition - the first triumph for the club in the competition.
The Magpies lifted the trophy after they defeated Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley. Dan Burn opened the scoring for the Premier League outfit, with Alexander Isak doubling their lead in the second half. Federico Chiesa scored a late consolation goal for the Reds, but it was too little, too late.
Newcastle had a difficult run to the final, entering at the second-round stage, one round earlier than Liverpool. Nevertheless, they defeated Nottingham Forest, AFC Wimbledon, Chelsea and Brentford before seeing off Arsenal in the semi-final.