The significance of the Carabao Cup is often downplayed until crunch time rolls around, and just two teams now remain in the 2025–26 iteration.
For Arsenal, who came through a drama-free but still nervy semi-final second leg with Chelsea, claiming their first piece of silverware since 2020 will surely serve as major motivation. A Quadruple is still on, but supporters are particularly desperate to end a 22-year wait for a Premier League title.
Manchester City are still best-placed to scupper Arsenal’s league campaign, but Pep Guardiola’s side have seldom appeared like a side capable of staging a run that’d see them leapfrog the Gunners at the summit. Thus, in what could be the Spaniard’s final season at the City helm, beating Arsenal to the Carabao Cup could potentially represent his last hurrah in Manchester.
A narrative-laden and enthralling final is in store, but there is now a considerable delay between the conclusion of the semi-finals and the showpiece event.
Who is Playing in the 2026 Carabao Cup Final?
This season, we’ve got a repeat of the 2018 final, folks. It’s Arsenal and Manchester City.
Arsenal have returned to the Carabao Cup final for the first time since they were beaten 3–0 by Guardiola’s City in the aforementioned contest eight years ago—a sixth defeat in the final of this competition. For a while, it seemed like City were never not lifting this trophy high, but they haven’t actually been back to the final since their last triumph in 2021.
The Gunners have overcome Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace (on penalties) and Chelsea to reach the final. City have had arguably a more favourable road to the final, beating Huddersfield Town, Swansea City, Brentford and Newcastle United.
When is the 2026 Carabao Cup Final?
Between the semi-finals and final, there are six Premier League gameweeks. So, there’s scope for the top of the Premier League table to look considerably different by the time Arsenal meet Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
The final kicks off at 16:30 GMT (11:30 a.m. ET, 8:30 a.m. PT).
Arsenal were slated to visit Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League that weekend, while City were hosting Crystal Palace. Those games will be rescheduled in due course.
Last 5 Winners of the Carabao Cup
| Season | Winner | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | Newcastle | Liverpool |
| 2023–24 | Liverpool | Chelsea |
| 2022–23 | Man Utd | Newcastle |
| 2021–22 | Liverpool | Chelsea |
| 2020–21 | Man City | Tottenham |
Beaten semi-finalists Newcastle had a grand day out last year, as their 2–1 victory over Liverpool ended a 56-year major trophy drought. The Magpies also reached the final in 2023 under Eddie Howe, but Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United proved too strong.
Liverpool missed the chance to go back-to-back when they faced Newcastle at Wembley in 2025, having beaten Chelsea’s so-called “billion pound bottlejobs” after extra time the previous year. That was the Reds’ record-extending 10th League Cup triumph and second of the decade. In 2022, they edged past Chelsea after a lengthy penalty shootout.
Manchester City enjoyed an eerie success in 2021, with a barely-filled Wembley being treated to a one-sided final that was remarkably decided by just a single goal. Aymeric Laporte struck late to prolong Tottenham Hotspur’s painful wait for a trophy another few years.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as When is the 2026 Carabao Cup Final?.
