Dates, tickets, where to watch & prize money

The stage is set for the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium, as both Liverpool and Chelsea have booked their places for February’s showpiece event to decide the first cup winners of the season.

Interestingly, these are two teams who find themselves 20 points apart in the Premier League. The Reds currently sit top of the pile and were a strong run of four straight wins in the league prior to their recent defeat to Arsenal, whilst Mauricio Pochettino’s side are having a season to forget, sitting in the bottom half having been beaten by Wolves at Stamford Bridge.

But anything can happen in a final, as form and league position goes out the window.

Football FanCast has gathered all the information fans may want to know ahead of the Carabao Cup final.

Carabao Cup overview

The Carabao Cup is the English Football League’s main cup competition.

It starts at the beginning of each August. Unlike the FA Cup, it features only teams in the EFL, so League Two, League One, the Championship and the Premier League. However, teams from the top-flight don’t play in the competition until round two, and teams who are playing in the Champions League or Europa League join in round three.

It’s a straight knock-out format across seven rounds, with the semi-finals being played over two legs. The final of the Carabao Cup is held at Wembley Stadium every year, with the winner qualifying for the subsequent season’s Europa League, so there’s plenty of incentive.

2024 Carabao Cup final start time and date

It has already been announced that the Carabao Cup final is set to take place on 25th February 2024 at Wembley Stadium, with Chelsea and Liverpool set for battle.

The clash is a repeat of the EFL and FA Cup finals in 2022, with both ending in shootout victories for Liverpool after a pair of goalless draws.

Carabao Cup results – Chelsea

With Mauricio Pochettino’s side failing to make it into Europe last season, the Blues entered the competition in the second round. They had to come from behind to beat AFC Wimbledon at Stamford Bridge before edging past Brighton & Hove Albion and Blackburn Rovers, also in SW6.

They survived another scare against Newcastle United after a late Mykhailo Mudryk equaliser sent the tie to penalties, with Djordje Petrovic the hero for the home side.

Their only away trip in the competition thus far came in the semi-final first leg against Middlesbrough, with Michael Carrick’s men threatening to humiliate the Blues by beating them to Wembley – though their first-leg victory was emphatically cancelled out as Chelsea ran riot at the Bridge, scoring six times to book their place in February’s final.

Carabao Cup results – Liverpool

Liverpool’s path to the final was slightly more straightforward, with their involvement in the Europa League handing them a place in the third round.

They saw off Championship high-flyers Leicester City at the first hurdle and then disposed of Premier League rivals Bournemouth and West Ham to seal a semi-final place.

Fulham were no pushovers in the last four, and after only edging the first leg at Anfield, it was a nervy finish as the Reds secured a 1-1 draw to confirm their place in the final.

How to buy Carabao Cup final tickets

As we all know, when it comes to any major final, corporate tickets are an absolute pain.

This is evident in the allocation for the final, with Chelsea receiving 32,169 tickets and Liverpool getting 32,196.

Chelsea have officially released their ticketing information for the Carabao Cup final, which involves different tiers and purchasing dates & times depending on how many points you may have for certain members.

Liverpool have also officially released their ticketing information, and they’ve decided to go down a similar route, with a unique link being sent to certain supporters, before a ballot takes place.

Where to watch the Carabao Cup final

There are plenty of options on how to watch the Carabao Cup final, depending on which country you’re from. Sky Sports have the broadcasting rights in the UK, while ESPN and DAZN will provide coverage in the United States and on the continent.

Should you want an online alternative for the UK, Sky Go is available on laptop and phone for Sky customers.

2023 Carabao Cup final

Manchester United won the Carabao Cup in 2023.

Erik ten Hag’s men put in a fine display at Wembley as they overcame the challenges of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United in a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Casemiro and Marcus Rashford.

Carabao Cup prize money

The prize money for the winners of the Carabao Cup may surprise a few people. Clubs receive £100,000 for winning the competition, with the runner-up getting £50,000. Money is awarded to clubs in each round, so it can all add up if you go all the way, with some top-flight clubs able to earn as much as £232k.