The Carabao Cup is a knockout football competition in England involving 92 teams from the top four tiers: Premier League, EFL Championship, League One, and League Two. The competition works as follows:
- The tournament is single-elimination, meaning teams play one-off matches, and the loser is immediately out.
- It starts with lower league and most Championship teams in Round 1.
- Premier League clubs not in European competitions join in Round 2.
- Premier League clubs that qualify for European competitions enter in Round 3.
- Matches that end in a draw after 90 minutes go directly to penalties, except from the semifinals onward, where extra time is played if needed.
- The semifinals are played over two legs (home and away).
- The final is a one-off match held at Wembley Stadium.
- The winner qualifies for the UEFA Europa Conference League playoffs for the following season.
There are usually 7 rounds, including a preliminary round in some seasons to reduce teams for Round 1. The rounds are drawn randomly, often with regional seeding early on. This format creates exciting elimination matches involving clubs from across English football, with a major trophy and European qualification at stake.
