Carabao Cup format changed as nine Premier League teams qualify for Europe.

The EFL has approved a change to the Carabao Cup structure for the 2025/26 season, with a preliminary round to be added.

The EFL has added a preliminary round to the Carabao Cup, which marks a substantial alteration to the tournament. The change was disclosed on Friday, barely months before the 2019 edition begins. The changes will affect last season’s National League promoted teams, Barnet and Oldham, as well as Accrington Stanley and Newport County, who finished 21st and 22nd in League Two respectively.

The matches will be regionalised, with Accrington Stanley taking on Oldham and Barnet facing Newport, with the victors advancing to the first round. This change is due to nine Premier League clubs competing in European events next season. The preliminary round will lower the number of clubs in the first two rounds, allowing all Premier League teams that qualified for Europe to compete in round three. Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, and Nottingham Forest are all gearing up for European competitions next season.Despite the uncertainty surrounding Palace’s participation in the Europa League due to John Textor’s ownership of the club, the Carabao Cup alteration has been made. This follows a similar change made during the 2011/12 season, allowing both Birmingham City and Fulham to compete in Europe without difficulty. The preliminary round of the Carabao Cup will begin the week of August 4, followed by the first official round a week later. The suspense grows as the draw for the first round is set on Thursday, June 26. Newcastle United will go into the game as the defending champions, having won the trophy at Wembley last season with a 2-1 triumph over Liverpool, fulfilling their craving for trophies.

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