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The EFL Cup, still widely known by its sponsored name the Carabao Cup, is one of English football's oldest and most unpredictable knockout competitions. With all 92 clubs from the Premier League down to League Two eligible to enter, the 2026/27 edition has already thrown up its usual mix of shocks and top-flight derbies on the way to a Wembley final. ScoresLive tracks every round with live scores, up to date fixtures, results, head-to-head records and odds comparison, so you can follow the competition from the early rounds right through to March.
The competition runs on a straight knockout basis, with clubs entering at different stages depending on their division and any European commitments. Lower-league sides start in the preliminary and first rounds, Premier League clubs without European football join in round two, and the remaining top-flight clubs involved in Europe are exempt until round three. Every round up to and including the quarter-finals is played as a single leg, with drawn matches settled by penalties rather than extra time. The semi-finals switch to a two-legged format with no away-goals rule, and the final at Wembley uses extra time and penalties if the scores are level after 90 minutes.
The third round is when the competition really comes to life, as the nine Premier League clubs involved in Europe join the 23 winners from round two to make up a 32-team draw. This year's ties, spread across the weeks of 7 and 14 September, include Liverpool against Tottenham, Manchester United hosting Brighton, Chelsea versus Leeds, Ipswich Town against Arsenal and Everton taking on Wolves, alongside EFL clubs such as Bradford, Barnsley and Lincoln City still chasing a run to the last 16. Fans following the football schedule can expect a genuine mix of Premier League derbies and lower-league upsets before the fourth round in late October.
Only 16 clubs remain by the fourth round on 26 October, with the quarter-finals following on 14 December to decide the last four. From there the competition moves to two-legged semi-finals in January and February 2027 before the showpiece final at Wembley on 21 March 2027. Manchester City go into the new campaign as defending champions after beating Arsenal 2-0 in the 2026 final to lift a ninth League Cup title, and their progress alongside the rest of the Premier League contenders will shape the betting markets as the rounds narrow.
| Bookmaker | Rating | Welcome Offer |
|---|---|---|
 Ladbrokes | ★ 4.4 | Bet £10 |
 Coral | ★ 4.4 | Bet £5 |
