The 2026–27 Carabao Cup is the official curtain-raiser for the new domestic season, with the competition getting underway before the start of the Premier League and English Football League campaigns.
92 teams have thus begun their respective journeys to Wembley, although the competition hasn’t exactly been kind to underdogs as of late. The Premier League’s elite have run the rule, with Manchester City the current holders after beating Arsenal 2–0 in last season’s final.
Newcastle United’s success in 2025 offered respite from ’Big Six’ supremacy, but even the Magpies, at the time, were regarded as a burgeoning force once again competing with Europe’s top dogs in the Champions League.
Will there be a fairytale story this time around?
Here’s a complete overview of the 2026–27 Carabao Cup.
2026–27 Carabao Cup Round Dates
| Stage of Competition | Date |
|---|---|
| Round One | w/c Aug. 3, 2026 |
| Round Two | w/c Aug. 24, 2026 |
| Round Three | w/c Sep. 7 and w/c Sep. 14, 2026 |
| Round Four | w/c Oct. 26, 2026 |
| Round Five | w/c Dec. 14, 2026 |
| Semifinal First Legs | w/c Jan. 11, 2027 |
| Semifinal Second Legs | w/c Feb. 1 2027 |
| Final | March 21, 2027 |
Carabao Cup 2026–27 Preliminary Round Results
Carabao Cup 2026–27 First Round Results
Northern Section
| Date | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Aug. 7, 2026 | Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Port Vale |
| Aug. 7, 2026 | Middlesbrough vs. Wrexham |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Barnsley vs. Wigan Athletic |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Bradford City vs. Rochdale |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Burnley vs. Notts County |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Burton Albion vs. Blackburn Rovers |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Crewe Alexandra vs. Accrington Stanley |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Derby County vs. Lincoln City |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Fleetwood Town vs. Chesterfield |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Grimsby Town vs. Blackpool |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Preston North End vs. Huddersfield Town |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Salford City vs. Shrewsbury Town |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Sheffield Wednesday vs. Bolton Wanderers |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Stockport County vs. Doncaster Rovers |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Stoke City vs. Oldham Athletic |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Rotherham United vs. West Bromwich Albion |
| Aug. 9, 2026 | Mansfield Town vs. Sheffield United |
Southern Section
| Date | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Aug. 6, 2026 | Bristol City vs. Walsall |
| Aug. 7, 2026 | Wycombe Wanderers vs. Stevenage |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Cambridge United vs. Barnet |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | QPR vs. Millwall |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | AFC Wimbledon vs. Newport County |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Bristol Rovers vs. Peterborough United |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Bromley vs. Reading |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Cardiff City vs. Swindon Town |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Gillingham vs. Luton Town |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Leicester City vs. Northampton Town |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Leyton Orient vs. Oxford United |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Norwich City vs. MK Dons |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Swansea City vs. Birmingham City |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Watford vs. Crawley Town |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | West Ham United vs. Portsmouth |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Cheltenham Town vs. Charlton Athletic |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Colchester United vs. Southampton |
| Aug. 10, 2026 | Plymouth Argyle vs. Exeter City |
How to Watch the 2026–27 Carabao Cup
Sky Sports has once again secured the Carabao Cup’s rights in the United Kingdom, although free-to-air ITV will also broadcast one fixture from every round.
The addition of Sky Sports+ as a channel means every single match from the competition can be watched on Sky.
In the United States, the Carabao Cup will be shown on Paramount+ and CBS Sports.
Disney+ has the rights in Mexico, as does DAZN in Canada.
When is the 2027 Carabao Cup Final?
This season’s Carabao Cup final will be held at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, March 21, 2027. Wembley has hosted the competition’s showpiece event of this competition every year since 2008.
A Nico O’Reilly brace helped Man City to their ninth League Cup trophy last season, as the Cityzens beat eventual Premier League champions Arsenal 2–0.
Who is the Most Successful Team in Carabao Cup History?
Newcastle became the 24th different club to win the League Cup in 2025, with half of the competition’s winners, including Middlesbrough, QPR, Swindon Town and Oxford United, prevailing once.
No team has had more success than ten-time winners Liverpool, who have lifted the trophy five times in the 21st century and most recently in 2024.
Man City are closing in on the Reds, with their success in 2026 being their ninth. Seven of their nine wins have come since 2014, with Pep Guardiola overseeing four consecutive League Cup triumphs between 2018 and 2021.
Manchester United have lifted the League Cup six times, while Aston Villa and Chelsea have each prevailed on five occasions.
READ THE LATEST SOCCER NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC
- Phil Parkinson Makes Candid Wrexham Transfer Admission Amid Quiet Summer Window
- Real Madrid Smash Own Record Transfer Record With Incredible Summer
- UEFA Reinforces World Cup Boycott Stance, FIFPRO Blast Infantino’s ‘Abuse of Power’
- The Transfers Real Madrid Need to Complete After Yan Diomande Signing
