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When is the Carabao Cup semi-final draw? Start time, teams and how to watch on TV

The quarter-finals will not be concluded until Arsenal and Crystal Palace meet next week

What they are playing for: the League Cup trophy
What they are playing for: the League Cup trophy (Getty Images)

The Carabao Cup semi-final draw takes place this evening as the remaining clubs in the tournament discover their last-four opponents.

Chelsea became the first team to reach the semi-finals as they dispatched League One leaders Cardiff 3-1 on Tuesday evening, and the remaining quarter-final line-up is a mouthwatering prospect with Manchester City hosting Brentford, holders Newcastle facing Fulham, and Premier League leaders Arsenal against Crystal Palace.

The Arsenal-Palace match will not take place until next week after a midweek clash with Palace’s Conference League campaign. Oliver Glasner’s side are due to meet Finnish club KuPS on Thursday.

The semi-finals are the only round of fixtures in the Carabao Cup to take place over two legs. The first legs will take place in mid-January and the second legs will be in early February, before the final at Wembley on 22 March.

Here is all you need to know about the draw:

When is the Carabao Cup semi-final draw?

The draw will take place on Wednesday 17 December and is expected to occur after Newcastle v Fulham has concluded, starting at around 10.30pm GMT.

How to watch the Carabao Cup semi-final draw

Viewers in the UK can watch the draw live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports News, as well as streaming service Sky Go. It will also be available for free via the Carabao Cup social media channels.

Carabao Cup quarter-final fixtures

Cardiff City 1-3 Chelsea

Man City v Brentford | Wednesday 17 December, 7.30pm

Newcastle v Fulham | Wednesday 17 December, 8.15pm

Arsenal v Crystal Palace | Tuesday 23 December, time TBD

When are the Carabao Cup semi-finals?

Semi-Final first leg: w/c 12 January 2026

Semi-Final second leg: w/c 2 February 2026

Final: Sunday 22 March 2026

Carabao Cup odds

To win Carabao Cup. Odds before quarter-finals (via oddschecker)

Arsenal 9/4

Man City 9/4

Chelsea 9/2

Newcastle 11/2

Crystal Palace 12/1

Fulham 16/1

Brentford 22/1

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