Carabao Cup format changed for 2025 due to Newcastle United and 8 other PL clubs in Europe | OneFootball

The Carabao Cup format for the 2025/26 season has now been confirmed.

An official announcement (see below) saying that changes have been made due to Newcastle United and eight other PL clubs competing in Europe.

The announcement stating that ‘The competition will require a Preliminary Round to be introduced ahead of Round One due to nine Premier League teams being involved in European competition in 2025/26.’

In 2024/25, the Carabao Cup third round draw saw the Premier League clubs taking part in the Champions League and Europa League not allowed to be drawn against each other. I am guessing it will be same again this coming 2025/26 season.

Carabao Cup official EFL announcement – 12 June 2025:

This season’s Carabao Cup will require a Preliminary Round to be introduced ahead of Round One due to nine Premier League teams being involved in European competition in 2025/26.

The format of the Carabao Cup will be amended to introduce a four-team preliminary qualifying round, to reduce the number of Clubs in Round One and Round Two in order to accommodate all Premier League European Clubs in Round Three.

The Preliminary Round will consist of the two promoted Clubs from the National League (Barnet and Oldham Athletic) and the Clubs finishing in 21st and 22nd place in League Two (Accrington Stanley and Newport County). The ties will be regionalised North and South as per Round One, with Accrington playing Oldham and Barnet playing Newport County.

The Carabao Cup Round One Draw will take place live on Sky Sports News at 4:30pm on Thursday 26 June, as part of the EFL’s Fixture Release Day.

The Preliminary Round of the competition will also be drawn at this time to determine the home Clubs for the two ties.

Carabao Cup 2025/26 Round Dates The round dates for the Carabao Cup have been confirmed as the following: