The English Football League has confirmed major changes to the Carabao Cup format for next season after a record nine Premier League clubs secured European football.
For the first time since 2011-12, the competition will include a preliminary round to manage the unprecedented number of English teams competing across Europe’s three major tournaments.
Six Premier League sides have qualified for the Champions League, with Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur all securing spots in football’s premier European competition. Aston Villa and Crystal Palace will represent England in the Europa League, whilst Nottingham Forest have earned their place in the Europa Conference League.
This marks the highest number of English clubs competing in European competition during a single season, creating a scheduling challenge that has forced the EFL to revive a format not seen for over a decade.
The preliminary round will feature four clubs battling for two spots in the main competition. National League champions Oldham Athletic and runners-up Barnet, who both earned promotion to League Two, will face the division’s bottom two non-relegated sides from last season.
Oldham Athletic will meet Accrington Stanley, whilst Barnet take on Newport County. The two winners will progress to the first round proper, joining the remaining League Two clubs in the opening stage of the competition.
Premier League clubs competing in Europe traditionally enter the Carabao Cup at the third round stage, allowing them additional time to prepare for their continental campaigns. With nine clubs now requiring this accommodation, the preliminary round reduces the number of teams in the earlier stages.
The last preliminary round occurred in 2011-12 when Birmingham City’s surprise Carabao Cup triumph earned them Europa League qualification, whilst Fulham also secured European football through the Fair Play League rankings.
Despite not carrying the prestige of the FA Cup or major European competitions, the Carabao Cup remains valued by many clubs as an achievable domestic trophy and pathway to European qualification.
The changes highlight English football’s growing European strength, with Premier League clubs consistently performing well across all three UEFA competitions in recent seasons.
The preliminary round matches are expected to take place in August, with the winners joining 70 other clubs in the first round proper later that month.
