Carabao Cup Tickets

Carabao Cup Tickets offer access to the first competitive English football of the season and provide the shortest path to Wembley in the sport. The 2026/27 edition marks the 67th running of the EFL Cup, with competition already underway: a preliminary round took place on 1 and 3 August, followed by Round One from 6 to 10 August. All 92 Premier League and EFL clubs participate, drawn randomly without seeding in any round, culminating at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 21 March 2027. Defending champions Manchester City aim to secure their tenth title. Carabao Cup Tickets are available throughout all rounds with verified sellers and complete buyer protection.

Carabao Cup Tournament Details

The EFL Cup, referred to as the Carabao Cup through its partnership with Carabao Energy Drink, stands as England's second-tier cup competition behind the FA Cup and represents the quickest avenue for a non-top-flight team to reach a Wembley final. It consists of seven rounds with single-legged matches except for the semi-finals, and features no seeding whatsoever.

This final aspect is why it's such an intriguing competition. The draw is completely unpredictable, meaning a League Two side could be drawn against Manchester City at home in the second round, with no safeguards in place for larger clubs. Last season, Grimsby Town eliminated Manchester United, while Cardiff City advanced to the quarter-finals.

Additionally, there's a European angle: the champion earns a spot in the play-offs of next year's Conference League, offering teams beyond the usual six a compelling motive to engage.

Carabao Cup History

The League Cup was established in 1960 and has run continuously since then, transitioning to Wembley for the final in 1967, where it remained permanently from 2008. Throughout its history, the tournament has been sponsored by various brands — Milk Cup, Littlewoods, Rumbelows, Coca-Cola, Worthington's, Carling, Capital One — prior to Carabao assuming sponsorship in 2017.

Liverpool hold the record with ten triumphs, including five since 2000 and their latest in 2024. Manchester City follow closely with nine victories, seven of which have occurred since 2014. Other notable multi-time winners include Aston Villa, Chelsea and Manchester United.

A total of 24 clubs have claimed the trophy, with half achieving victory just once — including Middlesbrough, QPR, Swindon Town and Oxford United. Newcastle United added themselves to this list in 2025, ending a 70-year drought for a major domestic honour.

Carabao Cup Format

Seven rounds, stretching from August to March. All matches are single games held at one team's venue, except the semi-finals, which feature two legs.

Teams join the competition at varying points. Four League Two teams begin in the preliminary round, followed by 70 teams competing in Round One, divided into northern and southern brackets to reduce travel distances. Premier League teams not participating in European competitions enter at Round Two, while the nine English teams competing in Europe this season start at Round Three.

That European involvement is precisely why there is a preliminary round at all. With nine English teams in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, the numbers no longer divide evenly. York City, Rochdale, Tranmere Rovers and Crawley Town played each other in early August to sort it out.

If a tie is level after 90 minutes, it goes to penalties. No extra time in any round.

2026 Carabao Cup Winners

Manchester City were crowned the 2026 EFL Cup winners, defeating Arsenal 2-0 at Wembley on 22 March 2026 in front of 88,486 spectators. Nico O'Reilly scored twice within five minutes after the break, earning him man of the match. It marked Manchester City's ninth League Cup triumph and Pep Guardiola's 19th trophy with the club.

Their path included Huddersfield, a trip to Swansea City, and a quarter-final against Brentford. Arsenal fell short at the final stage in what would be a season they eventually ended as Premier League champions.

The tournament saw a total of 1,489,309 fans attend 93 games for an average attendance of 16,014 per game, below the FA Cup, which is one of the main reasons Carabao Cup Tickets tend to be more affordable in England.

Top Contenders for the 2026/27 Carabao Cup

Manchester City are entering as defending champions, and under Enzo Maresca rather than Guardiola, a 10th title would see them equal Liverpool's overall record. Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Newcastle all have the resources to field rotated squads and still make a deep run.

More intriguing is which club emerges from below them. This season, nine English clubs are competing in European competitions, which translates to heavier rotation in the earlier stages and greater opportunities for EFL Championship sides. Cardiff reached the quarter-finals last season and Grimsby eliminated Manchester United — neither from the Premier League.

For Sunderland, Nottingham Forest, and Leeds United, this remains their best chance at silverware this year.

Carabao Cup 2026/27 Match Dates

Carabao Cup Teams Tickets

The clubs most likely to go deep in the 2026/27 competition. Select a team and view their tickets:

• Manchester City Carabao Cup Tickets — Etihad Stadium, holders and nine-time winners chasing Liverpool's record
• Liverpool Carabao Cup Tickets — Anfield, record ten-time winners of the competition
• Arsenal Carabao Cup Tickets — Emirates Stadium, beaten finalists in March and Premier League champions
• Manchester United Carabao Cup Tickets — Old Trafford, six-time winners knocked out by Grimsby last season
• Chelsea Carabao Cup Tickets — Stamford Bridge, five-time winners and quarter-finalists last season
• Tottenham Hotspur Carabao Cup Tickets — Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, four-time winners of the League Cup
• Newcastle United Carabao Cup Tickets — St James' Park, 2025 winners after a 70-year wait
• Aston Villa Carabao Cup Tickets — Villa Park, five-time winners and Europa League holders
• Everton Carabao Cup Tickets — Merseyside's other side, still chasing a first League Cup
• Nottingham Forest Carabao Cup Tickets — City Ground, four-time winners on the banks of the Trent
• Leeds United Carabao Cup Tickets — Elland Road, 1968 winners and one of English football's great cup atmospheres
• Sunderland Carabao Cup Tickets — Stadium of Light, Europa League football and genuine cup ambition
• Crystal Palace Carabao Cup Tickets — Selhurst Park, Conference League winners looking to add a domestic cup
• Brighton & Hove Albion Carabao Cup Tickets — American Express Community Stadium, still chasing a first major trophy
• AFC Bournemouth Carabao Cup Tickets — Vitality Stadium, the smallest Premier League ground and the hardest ticket

Attend the Carabao Cup in Person

The Carabao Cup offers the most affordable access to a Premier League venue, and that's no trivial detail. Early-round tickets are priced significantly lower than league matches, teams often field weaker lineups, and the crowds are smaller — the average attendance last season was 16,014, less than half the Premier League average.

And it has the best value fixtures of the season. A second or third round match could put a Premier League team at a League One stadium in front of 8,000 fans, or see a lower division team head to Old Trafford or Anfield for a night that their fans will cherish for years. Neither is possible in a league campaign.

Then there's Wembley. The League Cup final takes place in March with 88,000 fans inside, and for many clubs it's the most viable option for a final they'll ever play in. Wembley Stadium has been the venue for every League Cup final since 2008.

100% Genuine Carabao Cup Tickets with Buyer Protection

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Timing is a challenge for the Carabao Cup that resale solves. Draws happen just two to four weeks before the matches, clubs announce ticket sales at short notice, and away allocations at smaller venues sell out in minutes. Every club offers first right of refusal to season ticket holders, and there are virtually no public sales for the semi-finals and final.

However, the early rounds are the exception to the rule in England – many clubs actually have tickets available on the day, and costs are low enough that simply turning up is a viable option.

Carabao Cup Ticket Costs

Carabao Cup tickets are the cheapest of all English competitions that feature Premier League clubs.

Early stages are surprisingly affordable. Round One and Round Two games at EFL venues usually cost between £10 and £20, with concessions even lower, and a few clubs use a flat rate to ensure a full stadium. In Round Three, when teams competing in Europe join the fray, costs generally range from £15 to £30, even at top-flight venues, as clubs want to encourage a large crowd for a squad featuring fringe players.

Costs rise throughout the quarter-finals and semi-finals as the field narrows and Wembley looks more likely. Second legs of the semi-finals are often the toughest domestic tickets to get outside of the final itself.

The final is a market of its own. The official price at Wembley is usually between £40 and £110, but both clubs' allocations are sold out long before the event, leaving the secondary market with neutral fans as the buyers.

When to Purchase Carabao Cup Tickets

This really comes down to what stage you're targeting, and the Carabao Cup requires a different strategy than the league does.

In the early rounds, you can wait. You'll know the fixture two to four weeks in advance, tickets are cheap, and a lot of EFL stadiums will still be selling them on matchday. If the idea is a low-cost match, there's no rush.

That shifts in Round Three. The draw happens in September, when the nine European clubs face whoever remains, and the competition's marquee clashes take shape, with a top-tier club playing away to a lower-ranked team. They go within days of the draw if the host stadium has 10,000 seats.

For the semi-finals, purchase as early as possible once you're certain that your team has progressed. For the final on 21 March 2027, seasoned fans keep track of prices from the quarter-final round rather than waiting for the teams to be confirmed.

The Latest Carabao Cup News

The preliminary round of the 2026/27 Carabao Cup took place on 1 and 3 August, and was introduced due to the presence of nine English clubs in European competition. The matches saw Tranmere Rovers host Rochdale and York City host Crawley Town.

The first round took place on 6 August with Walsall eliminating Championship club Bristol City, with a further 35 ties being played between 7 and 10 August. The draw was split into northern and southern sections and included 70 teams.

Round Two will take place in the week starting 24 August, and includes all Premier League clubs who aren't involved in Europe. The nine English teams in European competition enter at Round Three in September.

Manchester City will start their defence of the trophy they won in March under a new head coach, and are one League Cup title away from tying Liverpool's all-time record of ten. The final will be played at Wembley on Sunday 21 March 2027.

Carabao Cup FAQs

What date is the 2027 Carabao Cup final?

It will take place on Sunday 21 March 2027 at Wembley Stadium in London. The competition's final has been held at Wembley every year since 2008.

What are the prices of Carabao Cup tickets?

Cheapest out of all domestic competitions including Premier League clubs. Early round matches at EFL stadiums are typically priced between £10 and £20, Round Three between £15 and £30 even at Premier League venues, and the Wembley final between £40 and £110 at face value.

When do Premier League clubs enter the Carabao Cup?

All Premier League clubs not playing in Europe enter at Round Two in the latter half of August. The nine English clubs playing in European competitions enter at Round Three in September.

How many teams enter the Carabao Cup?

All 92 Premier League and English Football League clubs. There will also be a preliminary round of four League Two clubs, which was added this season because nine Premier League teams are competing in Europe.

Is there extra time in the Carabao Cup?

There isn't. All drawn matches go straight to penalties. The only two-legged ties in the competition are the semi-finals.

Does the Carabao Cup winner get a European spot?

Yes, the winner takes a place in the play-off round of next season's UEFA Conference League, unless they've already secured qualification for a higher European competition based on their final Premier League position.

Which club has won the most Carabao Cups?

Liverpool are on ten titles. Manchester City have won nine after their success in 2026. Seven of those came since 2014.

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