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2025–26 EFL Cup

Updated: Wikipedia source

2025–26 EFL Cup

The 2025–26 EFL Cup is the 66th and current season of the English Football League Cup. It is sponsored by Carabao Energy Drink and known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons. The EFL Cup is open to all clubs participating in the Premier League and the English Football League. The winner of the competition qualifies for the play-off round of the 2026–27 UEFA Conference League. Newcastle United are the defending champions, having beaten Liverpool in the previous season's final.

Infobox

Country
EnglandWales
Dates
29 July 2025 – 22 March 2026
Teams
92
Defending champions
Newcastle United
Matches played
76
Goals scored
207 (2.72 per match)
Attendance
782,047 (10,290 per match)
Top goal scorer
Diego Gómez (5 goals)

Tables

· Teams
Preliminary round(4 clubs)
Preliminary round(4 clubs)
Phase
Preliminary round(4 clubs)
Clubs entering in this round
4 clubs from EFL League Two (two lowest-ranked clubs not relegated from previous season, and two newly promoted)
Clubs advancing from previous round
N/A
Number of games
2
Week commencing
4 August 2025
First round(70 clubs)
First round(70 clubs)
Phase
First round(70 clubs)
Clubs entering in this round
20 clubs from EFL League Two 24 clubs from EFL League One 24 clubs from EFL Championship
Clubs advancing from previous round
2 winners from preliminary round
Number of games
35
Week commencing
11 August 2025
Second round(46 clubs)
Second round(46 clubs)
Phase
Second round(46 clubs)
Clubs entering in this round
11 Premier League clubs (not involved in European competitions)
Clubs advancing from previous round
35 winners from first round
Number of games
23
Week commencing
25 August 2025
Third round(32 clubs)
Third round(32 clubs)
Phase
Third round(32 clubs)
Clubs entering in this round
9 Premier League clubs (involved in European competitions)
Clubs advancing from previous round
23 winners from second round
Number of games
16
Week commencing
15 September 2025 22 September 2025
Fourth round(16 clubs)
Fourth round(16 clubs)
Phase
Fourth round(16 clubs)
Clubs entering in this round
—
Clubs advancing from previous round
16 winners from third round
Number of games
8
Week commencing
28 October 2025
Quarter-finals(8 clubs)
Quarter-finals(8 clubs)
Phase
Quarter-finals(8 clubs)
Clubs entering in this round
—
Clubs advancing from previous round
8 winners from fourth round
Number of games
4
Week commencing
15 December 2025
Semi-finals(4 clubs)
Semi-finals(4 clubs)
Phase
Semi-finals(4 clubs)
Clubs entering in this round
—
Clubs advancing from previous round
4 winners from quarter-finals
Number of games
4 (two-legged)
Week commencing
12 January 2026 2 February 2026
Final(2 clubs)
Final(2 clubs)
Phase
Final(2 clubs)
Clubs entering in this round
—
Clubs advancing from previous round
2 winners from semi-finals
Number of games
1
Week commencing
22 March 2026
Phase
Clubs entering in this round
Clubs advancing from previous round
Number of games
Week commencing
Preliminary round(4 clubs)
4 clubs from EFL League Two (two lowest-ranked clubs not relegated from previous season, and two newly promoted)
N/A
2
4 August 2025
First round(70 clubs)
20 clubs from EFL League Two 24 clubs from EFL League One 24 clubs from EFL Championship
2 winners from preliminary round
35
11 August 2025
Second round(46 clubs)
11 Premier League clubs (not involved in European competitions)
35 winners from first round
23
25 August 2025
Third round(32 clubs)
9 Premier League clubs (involved in European competitions)
23 winners from second round
16
15 September 2025 22 September 2025
Fourth round(16 clubs)
—
16 winners from third round
8
28 October 2025
Quarter-finals(8 clubs)
—
8 winners from fourth round
4
15 December 2025
Semi-finals(4 clubs)
—
4 winners from quarter-finals
4 (two-legged)
12 January 2026 2 February 2026
Final(2 clubs)
—
2 winners from semi-finals
1
22 March 2026
Number of teams per tier still in the competition · Preliminary round
20 / 20
20 / 20
Premier League
20 / 20
Championship
24 / 24
League One
24 / 24
League Two
24 / 24
Total
92 / 92
Premier League
Championship
League One
League Two
Total
20 / 20
24 / 24
24 / 24
24 / 24
92 / 92
Number of teams per tier still in the competition · First round
20 / 20
20 / 20
Premier League
20 / 20
Championship
24 / 24
League One
24 / 24
League Two
22 / 24
Total
90 / 92
Premier League
Championship
League One
League Two
Total
20 / 20
24 / 24
24 / 24
22 / 24
90 / 92
Number of teams per tier still in the competition · Second round
20 / 20
20 / 20
Premier League
20 / 20
Championship
14 / 24
League One
16 / 24
League Two
5 / 24
Total
55 / 92
Premier League
Championship
League One
League Two
Total
20 / 20
14 / 24
16 / 24
5 / 24
55 / 92
Number of teams per tier still in the competition · Third round
15 / 20
15 / 20
Premier League
15 / 20
Championship
5 / 24
League One
10 / 24
League Two
2 / 24
Total
32 / 92
Premier League
Championship
League One
League Two
Total
15 / 20
5 / 24
10 / 24
2 / 24
32 / 92
Number of teams per tier still in the competition · Fourth round
11 / 20
11 / 20
Premier League
11 / 20
Championship
2 / 24
League One
2 / 24
League Two
1 / 24
Total
16 / 92
Premier League
Championship
League One
League Two
Total
11 / 20
2 / 24
2 / 24
1 / 24
16 / 92
Number of teams per tier still in the competition · Quarter-finals
7 / 20
7 / 20
Premier League
7 / 20
Championship
0 / 24
League One
1 / 24
League Two
0 / 24
Total
8 / 92
Premier League
Championship
League One
League Two
Total
7 / 20
0 / 24
1 / 24
0 / 24
8 / 92
Number of teams per tier still in the competition · Semi-finals
4 / 20
4 / 20
Premier League
4 / 20
Championship
0 / 24
League One
0 / 24
League Two
0 / 24
Total
4 / 92
Premier League
Championship
League One
League Two
Total
4 / 20
0 / 24
0 / 24
0 / 24
4 / 92
· Semi-finals
Chelsea (1)
Chelsea (1)
Team 1
Chelsea (1)
Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score
–
Team 2
Arsenal (1) or Crystal Palace (1)
1st leg
–
2nd leg
–
Newcastle United (1)
Newcastle United (1)
Team 1
Newcastle United (1)
Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score
–
Team 2
Manchester City (1)
1st leg
–
2nd leg
–
Team 1
Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score
Team 2
1st leg
2nd leg
Chelsea (1)
–
Arsenal (1) or Crystal Palace (1)
–
–
Newcastle United (1)
–
Manchester City (1)
–
–
· Top goalscorers
1
1
Rank
1
Player
Diego Gómez
Club
Brighton & Hove Albion
Goals
5
2
2
Rank
2
Player
22 players
Club
2
Rank
Player
Club
Goals
1
Diego Gómez
Brighton & Hove Albion
5
2
22 players
2

References

  1. Premier League teams joined the competition in the second and third rounds.
  2. Championship and League One teams joined the competition in the first round.
  3. The top 20 League Two teams joined the competition in the first round.
  4. Premier League teams joined the competition in the second and third rounds.
  5. The nine Premier League teams involved in European competitions joined the competition in the third round.
  6. "Carabao Cup format confirmed for 2025/26 season"
    https://www.efl.com/news/2025/june/12/carabao-cup-format-confirmed-for-2025-26-season
  7. BBC Sport
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cgmj0pge82zo
  8. "Carabao Cup Round One confirmed"
    https://www.efl.com/news/2025/june/26/carabao-cup-round-one-draw-details-confirmed
  9. "Hundreds left without power as cup tie postponed"
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clydqdj33v8o
  10. "Carabao Cup Round Two Confirmed"
    https://www.efl.com/news/2025/august/13/carabao-cup-round-two-confirmed
  11. "Carabao Cup Round Three draw confirmed"
    https://www.efl.com/news/2025/august/27/carabao-cup-round-three-draw-confirmed
  12. "Carabao Cup: Round Four draw confirmed"
    https://www.efl.com/news/2025/september/24/carabao-cup--round-four-draw-confirmed-
  13. "Carabao Cup Quarter-Final draw confirmed"
    https://www.efl.com/news/2025/october/29/carabao-cup-quarter-final-draw-confirmed
  14. "Carabao Cup Semi-Final draw revealed"
    https://www.efl.com/news/2025/december/17/carabao-cup-semi-final-draw-revealed
  15. "English League Cup 2025/2026: Top Scorer"
    https://www.worldfootball.net/competition/co61/se95958/statistics-goals/
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