Which European competition do the Carabao Cup winners qualify for?
Yesterday at 10:00 AM
Liverpool and Newcastle United will battle it out for the first piece of silverware of the season in the Carabao Cup final today.
The Reds are chasing a domestic double with the Premier League title already in their grasp.
Arne Slot’s side won’t have to worry too much about European qualification with first place likely sewn up this season.
But for Newcastle United, currently sat sixth in the Premier League, there is added incentive at play.
Scroll down to find out if the 2024-25 Carabao Cup winners will qualify for the UEFA Conference League or the UEFA Europa League in 2025-26…
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Do Carabao Cup winners qualify for the Europa League?
No, the Carabao Cup winners do not qualify for the UEFA Europa League.
Before the UEFA Conference League was introduced in the 2021-22 season, the Carabao Cup winners would earn a spot in the Europa League third qualifying round.
Swansea City, for example, played in the 2013-14 Europa League group stages after clinching the Carabao Cup in the previous campaign and then beating Malmo and Petrolul Ploiești in the third qualifying round and play-off round respectively.
To qualify for the Europa League these days, teams must win the FA Cup or finish fifth in the Premier League table, which earns direct entry to the league phase.
Do Carabao Cup winners qualify for the Conference League?
Yes, the Carabao Cup winners qualify for the UEFA Conference League, but they must progress past a play-off round to reach the league phase.
Chelsea earned their place in this season’s Conference League league phase after defeating Swiss side Servette FC in the play-offs.
The Conference League was introduced four years ago as the third most prestigious European club football competition. The Europa League is considered the second most prestigious, behind the Champions League.
What happens if a team wins the Carabao Cup coupled with a Premier League top four finish?
Finishing in the top four of the Premier League earns direct qualification for the Champions League league phase, regardless if a team wins the Carabao Cup or indeed the FA Cup.
Liverpool won the Carabao Cup last season – but because they finished third in the Premier League – they qualified for the 2024-25 Champions League instead of the Conference League.
The Conference League spot ended up being handed to sixth-placed Chelsea last season, because eighth-placed Manchester United won the FA Cup to secure a place in the Europa League.
