The EFL has highlighted the growing popularity of the Carabao Cup, as a peak domestic UK TV audience of nearly 8 million tuned in to watch the final.
On Sunday, 16 March, Newcastle United claimed its first major domestic trophy in 70 years with a 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
While Newcastle fans will see it as their biggest achievement of the season, the competition has traditionally been viewed as less prestigious than the Premier League and FA Cup, often receiving significantly less attention from fans’ perspectives.
However, viewing figures from broadcasters Sky and ITV suggest that perception is changing. Across Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Main Event, ITV1, and ITVX, an average domestic TV audience of 6.3 million watched the final over the full 90 minutes. Globally, millions more tuned in, with the match broadcast across 193 international territories.
EFL CEO, Trevor Birch, said: “The attendance and viewership numbers for Sunday’s final demonstrate the continued popularity of the Carabao Cup and the value the competition holds in the football calendar for supporters up and down the country and across the world.”
This season’s strong viewing figures were driven by a landmark partnership between Sky Sports and ITV, which, for the first time in the competition’s history, ensured that every round was televised on both pay-TV and free-to-air channels.
The growing interest was not only evident in TV ratings but also in record match attendance. According to the EFL, nearly 1.8 million supporters attended Carabao Cup games this season – a 20% increase from last year’s total.
This trend was further highlighted in the final, where 88,513 Liverpool and Newcastle fans packed Wembley Stadium, making it the most-attended fixture in Europe that weekend.
Birch concluded: “It was a fitting finale to a wonderful season of Carabao Cup football, and I’d like to thank each of Sky Sports, ITV and our international broadcast partners for making it such a success.”
