Carabao Cup 2026/27: Draws, Fixtures, Results & Key Info

Overview of the 2026/27 Carabao Cup

The Carabao Cup, also called the EFL Cup or League Cup, enters its 67th season in 2026/27. Winning this trophy not only secures a place in next season's Europa Conference League but also offers prize money that adds to the club’s rewards beyond just history books.

This guide covers all the main details: fixtures, draws, results, and how to watch matches live.

First Round Highlights and Fixtures

The competition kicked off on August 6, 2026, with League Two's Walsall pulling off an upset over Championship side Bristol City. The opening round ran from August 6 to August 10 with 36 matches split between Northern and Southern sections.

• Northern Section:
• 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, Fixtures & Results

The second round draw happened on August 10, with matches held between August 25 and 27.

• Northern Section:
• 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 Overview

The third round took place over two weeks starting September 8 and 15, with nine Premier League clubs, including Arsenal and Manchester United, joining at this stage. Some games needed rescheduling due to clashes with UEFA Champions League fixtures.

• 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 Matches

The draw was conducted on September 16 during the Manchester United vs Brighton game, where Brighton emerged victorious. Several notable matches featured penalty shootouts, including Manchester City vs Brighton and Liverpool vs Chelsea. Lower league sides Bradford City and Fleetwood Town remain in the competition after impressive performances.

• 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 took place on October 28. Liverpool’s manager Andoni Iraola will face his former club Bournemouth at Anfield. Bradford City must travel to Manchester City, the current holders. Crystal Palace and Sunderland meet at Selhurst Park, and Fleetwood Town’s next opponent will be either Everton or Newcastle.

• 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+)

Key Dates for the Carabao Cup 2026/27

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

Prize Money Breakdown

Aside from earning a spot in European competition, clubs receive financial rewards based on progress:

• Semi-finals: £25,000
• Runners-up: £50,000
• Winners: £100,000 (Manchester City received this after winning the 2026 final over Arsenal)

Where to Watch the Carabao Cup

In the UK and Ireland, matches air on Sky Sports and sometimes on ITV. Fans in the US can watch select fixtures on CBS Sports, Paramount+, and Golazo Network. Canadian viewers turn to DAZN, while beIN Sports covers Australia and New Zealand.

• United Kingdom & Ireland: Sky Sports, ITV
• United States: CBS, Paramount+
• Canada: DAZN
• Australia: beIN Sports
• New Zealand: beIN Sports