The 2020-21 Carabao Cup is heading into the final stage and it won't be long until the first major national trophy is won in England this season.
Having kicked off in August 2020, 92 teams are whittled down to two ultimate contenders, with the decider taking place in early 2021.
So when will the Carabao Cup final take place this season and which teams are involved?
Goal brings you everything you need to know, including how to watch the game live, prize money for the winners, European qualification and more.
On this page
- When is the Carabao Cup 2021 final?
- Which teams are in the Carabao Cup 2021 final?
- Where will the Carabao Cup 2021 final be played?
- Which TV channel is the Carabao Cup 2021 final on?
- What is the Carabao Cup prize money?
- Do the Carabao Cup winners qualify for Europe?
When is the Carabao Cup 2021 final?
The 2020-21 Carabao Cup final will be held a few months later than initially planned, on Sunday April 25, 2021.
Kick-off for the game is scheduled for 4pm BST (11am ET).
It had originally been scheduled for Sunday February 28, 2021, but, in December 2020, the EFL made the decision to push it further into the year.
The decision to reschedule the fixture, according to the EFL, was made in the hope that fans may be permitted to attend the game.
Deterioration in the public health picture in the United Kingdom over winter saw the British government introduce stricter lockdown measures, thus diminishing the chances of spectators being allowed in February.
Which teams are in the Carabao Cup 2021 final?
| Finalist 1 | Final date | Finalist 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tottenham | April 25, 2021 | Man City |
Tottenham were the first team to book their place in the 2021 Carabao Cup final. Jose Mourinho's side defeated Brentford 2-0 in the semi-final to advance, with goals from Heung-min Son and Moussa Sissoko sending them through.
Spurs will be joined in the final by Manchester City after Pep Guardiola's side defeated bitter rivals Manchester United in the semi-final.
Defending champions City are one of the most successful teams in the competition and they have won the last three finals in a row.
Tottenham have won the Carabao Cup on four occasions, most recently in 2008, which, incidentally, was also the last time they hoisted silverware.
Mourinho has signalled his intent to end that 13-year trophy drought, declaring: "What I sense in the team is exactly that: desire. I'm not saying winning mentality, I'm not saying we are this or that. I just say we are honest people."
Where will the Carabao Cup 2021 final be played?
Wembley Stadium will host the Carabao Cup final in 2021, continuing the custom of staging major national cup finals in the affectionately named 'Home of Football'.
The London venue, which has a capacity of 90,000, could possibly be empty for the occasion, however, should the public health situation arising from the Covid-19 pandemic not improve.
Wembley in its current guise has hosted the Carabao Cup final since 2008 and the 2021 final will be the 14th time it has been the venue since reopening.
Which TV channel is the Carabao Cup 2021 final on?
| UK TV channel | U.S. TV channel |
|---|---|
| Sky Sports | ESPN |
In the UK, the Carabao Cup final will be broadcast on the Sky Sports network, on the Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event channels, as well as Sky Go.
In the U.S., ESPN will broadcast the Carabao Cup final.
What is the Carabao Cup prize money?
Winning the Carabao Cup is worth £100,000 ($136k) according to most recent figures, while the runner-up is rewarded with £50,000 ($68k).
The losing semi-finalists are given a consolation prize of £25,000 ($34k) each.
Prize money for the Carabao Cup lags significantly behind England's chief cup competition, the FA Cup, and that reality is perhaps reflected in how some Premier League clubs rotate their team in the tournament.
Do the Carabao Cup winners qualify for Europe?
From 2020-21 on, the winners of the Carabao Cup will qualify for the Europa Conference League - UEFA's new third-tier continental competition, which gets under way in 2021-22.
Winning the Carabao Cup will ensure entry at the play-off round of the Europa Conference League.
In the event that the Carabao Cup winners qualify for a continental competition through their league finish (as is likely in this season's edition), then that place will go to the highest-placed team in the Premier League that has not already qualified for Europe.
For example, last season, Premier League runners-up Man City won the Carabao Cup, so the Europa League place they earned was subsequently rewarded to Tottenham, who finished that season in sixth place.