Playing in European competition is the dream for any top tier side.
For the big boys – Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United etc – it’s usually achieved through a high Premier League finish, with every top team worth their salt pushing for a spot in the Champions League.
But the top brass have also enjoyed a monopoly over the Carabao Cup in recent years, dominating the competition since 2014. However, there have been instances of an underdog going all the way to the final before lifting the trophy, delivering memories for supporters that will last a life time.
It’s not only silverware at stake for the winners, there’s something far greater on the line…
In short, yes.
The winners of the Carabao Cup will earn a place in the Europa Conference League qualifying round.
However, with Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool all winning the competition in recent years, their European spot (which had already been secured via league position) has been handed down to the highest finisher in the Premier League.
Last season, for example, Liverpool won the Carabao Cup but because they finished second in the league, their European spot was handed over to seventh-place West Ham.
The Carabao Cup runners-up do not qualify for Europe.
Should the winners’ European spot need to go elsewhere, it’ll instead go to the highest finisher in the Premier League that hasn’t qualified for Europe.
Sort of, but not really.
Arsenal progressed into and won the 1993/94 Cup Winners’ Cup after winning the EFL Cup in 1993, but they actually qualified for the competition because they’d also won the FA Cup the season prior.
The Europa Conference League was established in 2021 and functions as UEFA’s third tier of European competition.
32 teams compete in the group stage but over 180 take part from the start of qualification. The tournament operates just like the Champions and Europa League, with the winners of the competition qualifying for the Europa League the following season.
The Premier League’s impressive performance in Europe over the past few years has opened up more possibilities in European competitions.
England’s UEFA coefficient is currently the highest by quite some margin which means they have seven European spots open to them. The Premier League’s top four automatically qualify for the Champions League, fifth place and the FA Cup winners qualify for the Europa League, while the Carabao Cup winners qualify for the Europa Conference League.