A hot favourite in betting circles for the continued showcase of lower league clubs conquering the vaunted teams of the Premier League, the Carabao Cup prize money on offer doesn’t exactly reflect the potential for such a triumph.
Instead, the EFL Cup winnings on offer pale in comparison to those offered by the FA Cup and, by a colossal margin, those on offer even for coming rock bottom in the Premier League.
Even so, the trophy still counts towards the haul that measures the most successful clubs in England, and presents other avenues for clubs to potentially collect a good chunk of cash for participating.
Complete Carabao Cup Prize Money List
Here’s what teams can hope to earn by winning in each round of the Carabao Cup in the 2025/26 season:
- First Round £5,000
- Second Round £7,000
- Third Round £10,000
- Fourth Round £15,000
- Quarter-finals £25,000
- Semi-finals £25,000
- Runners-up £50,000
- EFL Cup Champions £100,000
How Much Carabao Cup Prize Money Do EFL Cup Champions Get?
Depending on which stage the eventual champions enter at, the winners could get, at most, £187,000. Of course, this would showcase a First Round entrant going all the way.
As the First Round features 20 clubs from League Two, 24 clubs from League One, and 24 clubs from the Championship, getting the full sweep of Carabao Cup prize money would greatly defy the football betting markets and see a non-Premier League team winning the EFL Cup.
A team not in the top flight of English football taking the trophy has only happened five times in the history of the EFL Cup; one such occasion is still considered to be among the most memorable League Cup finals.
The most recent of these complete giant-killing achievements came in 1991, when Sheffield Wednesday conquered Manchester United 1-0.
Do Teams Earn More Revenue than the Set Carabao Cup Prize Money?
The potential boon for EFL Cup teams comes via the gate receipt revenue sharing scheme, which can greatly increase the revenue earned by lower league clubs.
Here, the EFL keeps ten per cent to fund the organisation, while 50 per cent stays with the home team and 40 per cent goes to the away team.
On average, Liverpool takes £3.1 million in gate yield per match, Arsenal collects £5.1 million, and even clubs like Wolverhampton Wanderers average £900,000.
While Premier League clubs will often offer lower-priced tickets for cup games, the stadiums often get close to or meet capacity. This way, travelling teams get a decent cut of attendances that greatly exceed those of their home matches.
So, getting an away draw as a Football League side against a Premier League side would result in earnings far surpassing the actual Carabao Cup prize money on offer in each round.
