Carabao Cup 2026/27: Fixtures, Draws & Results Overview

The Carabao Cup, also called the EFL Cup or League Cup, is now in its 67th season. Winning this trophy offers more than just a place in history. Champions earn a spot in the next season's Europa Conference League and claim a notable cash prize.

Here’s a complete guide to the competition's schedule, key fixtures, and how to catch the action live.

Third Round Draw, Fixtures & Results

The third round features 32 teams playing 16 matches across two weeks starting September 8 and September 15. This stage sees nine Premier League teams, including Arsenal and Manchester United, join the competition.

Two fixtures, Everton vs Wolves and Liverpool vs Tottenham, were rescheduled due to clashes with UEFA Champions League games. The EFL explained that UEFA refused to move Liverpool’s match against Atletico Madrid, forcing changes to other Carabao Cup ties.

• Sep 8: Bournemouth vs Lincoln City - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 8: Crystal Palace vs Middlesbrough - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 8: Leyton Orient vs Bradford City - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 8: Sunderland vs Hull City - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 8: Millwall vs Newcastle United - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 9: Chelsea vs Leeds United - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 15: Peterborough United vs Barnsley - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 15: West Ham vs Fulham - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 15: Ipswich Town vs Arsenal - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 15: Liverpool vs Tottenham - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 15: Reading vs Brentford - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 16: Everton vs Wolves - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 16: Fleetwood Town vs Sheffield United - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 16: Coventry City vs Aston Villa - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 16: Manchester United vs Brighton - Sky Sports / Paramount+
• Sep 17: Manchester City vs Norwich City - Sky Sports / Paramount+

Second Round Draw, Fixtures & Results

The second round draw took place on August 10, 2026. Matches happened between August 25 and 27.

• 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)

First Round Draw, Fixtures & Results

This round kicks off the English football season competitively, before Premier League and EFL matches start. The first game was on August 6, 2026, when League Two’s Walsall upset Championship team Bristol City. Thirty-five more ties ran from August 7 to 10.

• 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

Important 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

Besides European qualification, the Carabao Cup winner takes home £100,000. For example, Manchester City received this amount after beating Arsenal in the 2026 final. Other rounds offer smaller prizes as teams advance.

• Semi-finals: £25,000
• Runners-up: £50,000
• Winners: £100,000

Broadcast Information

All first-round matches are broadcast or streamed by Sky Sports and Sky Sports+ in the UK. The Middlesbrough versus Wrexham game is also available on ITV1.

In the US, CBS Sports channels and platforms like Paramount+ and Golazo Network offer coverage of selected first-round matches. Viewers should check local listings for exact details.

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