Carabao Cup 2024/25: Key dates for Newcastle United's trophy defence

The dust has barely settled after Newcastle United’s trophy parade and celebration, but the key dates for the competition defence have been revealed. More than 300,000 people flooded the fields and streets of the city to celebrate the first proper silverware coming back to Tyneside in decades last month.

The 2-1 win over Liverpool on March 16 not only ended a 70-year domestic wait for a trophy, and 56 of any major trophy of note, but it also marked the Magpies completing the set - winning the League Cup for the first time in their history. And next season, they’ll be looking to do it all over again, even though they will be fighting on four fronts. The Wembley win not only brought silverware, but also a guaranteed place in Europe next season.

Here’s some key dates and details to take note of.

When will Newcastle United enter the 2024/25 Carabao Cup?

As previously mentioned, the Magpies will be in Europe. That means, unlike in the year they won it, Newcastle will avoid having to take part in the second round. Last year they beat Nottingham Forest on penalties to progress to a third round tie with Wimbledon.

At this stage it is not known what competition the Magpies will play in, although they are guaranteed a spot in the UEFA Conference League play-off round. They still harbour hopes of securing a spot in more premium Euro competitions, the Champions League or Europa League. Whatever competition United find themselves in, they’ll still be entered in round three. They will also, this time unlike last, be seeded in the third round draw and will avoid all other teams in European competition.

Carabao Cup key dates

So far, the EFL have only released details of a number of key dates for the competition - but not all. Fixtures and the draw for the first round of the competition will be made on Thursday, 26 June, with fixtures released at 9am. The draw will, as usual, be made live on Sky Sports. As previously mentioned, though, holders Newcastle United will not enter at this stage. It is expected around this time key round dates, particularly for round three will be revealed.

What we do know now is, round one will take place on the week commencing August 11, 2025. And the final date has also been revealed.

When will the final take place?

In 2023 it was in February, in 2025 it had been stretched back to March 16. And for 2026, it’ll be even further back into the footballing calendar. Next year’s competition will take place on March 22, and will, of course, again be at Wembley.

Alexander Isak was the Magpies’ matchwinner at Wembley in the last final as his second half strike, adding to Dan Burn’s opener, saw the Magpies home, despite a late consolation from Liverpool substitute Federico Chiesa.

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