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Carabao Cup to make unprecedented change as teams need to QUALIFY for main draw

WATCH NOW: Paul Coyte discusses the latest sports news on June 12, 2025

GB News
Fintan Starkey

By Fintan Starkey


Published: 12/06/2025

- 22:36

The EFL has introduced a new round as part of the competition

The Carabao Cup has made an unprecedented change as teams now need to play an extra round for the 2025/26 season.

Nine Premier League teams in Europe have forced a restructuring of the competition for next season.

A preliminary round will take place before the official first round for the first time since 2011/12.

But in a brand-new change, this year’s fixtures will consist of four teams instead of two.

Carabao Cup

The Carabao Cup will now have an extra round

PA

The four teams include the two promoted sides from the National League last season, Barnet and Oldham, as well as Accrington Stanley and Newport County, who finished in the lowest two spots in the EFL.

The preliminary draw and the first round draw with be held on the same day, June 26.

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The four League Two sides will battle it out in the preliminary round week commencing August 4, before the first round kicks off a week later.

The preliminary round will be used to get rid of two teams from the tournament, therefore reducing the number of teams in the first two rounds.

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Newcastle

Newcastle won the Carabao cup last season, they are one of the nine teams playing in Europe this season

PA

The preliminary round will be used to get rid of two teams from the tournament, therefore reducing the number of teams in the first two rounds.

Reducing the numbers will then allow the Premier League teams that are competing in Europe to feature in round three.

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Round three will be split across two weeks in September, the same as last season.

Fans have voiced their outrage at the new system on social media.

One reacted by saying: "What an absolute disgrace."

Mark Shelton

Barnet are one of the teams forced to play in the preliminarily round

PA

Another added: "Helping out the Prem clubs again, what a surprise."

A third wrote: "EFL Cup pandering to the Premier League says everything about the state of the footballing bodies in this country."

It remains to be seen if the new system will allow for much unpredictability, but the removal of two lower-tier teams removes an aspect of the competition that has made it so prestigious to National League fans.

FootballSport