Premier League offers £1.8bn Carabao Cup revamp, single‑leg semi‑finals

Premier League clubs have unanimously approved a proposal to change Carabao Cup semi‑finals to a single match, forming part of a "new deal for football" that would double the existing solidarity payment to £1.8bn spread over ten seasons, 20 Sep 2026.

Financial boost and distribution

The agreement with the English Football League would raise the solidarity fund from £1bn to £1.8bn, a rise of about 80 percent. The extra money would be divided across the three EFL divisions, with the Championship set to receive an additional £8.5m, League One £1.3m and League Two £0.7m. A 2 percent increase in the Premier League transfer levy, moving from 4 percent to 6 percent, is intended to fund the uplift.

Both leagues are said to be roughly £27m apart in negotiations, but confidence in reaching an agreement is growing. The deal would represent around 17.5 percent of the top‑flight clubs' collective broadcast rights income, 6.5 percent more than the current level and half of the amount originally sought by the EFL.

Structural changes and conditions

Under the proposal, Carabao Cup semi‑final ties would be decided in a single leg rather than the traditional two‑leg format, eliminating the need for Regulator involvement. The EFL is also seeking a revised divisional split of revenue from the current 80:12:8 to 75:15:10 for Championship, League One and League Two respectively.

Additional conditions include a £20m lifeboat loan for clubs entering administration, controls to stop any increase in player wages, and a requirement that 15 percent of the funds be allocated to infrastructure. The Premier League hopes the extra funding will reduce its reliance on ownership money for EFL clubs and will be linked to progress in talks with the National League about promotion pathways.

The proposal has been under discussion for six weeks and was first presented to EFL clubs last week. Final approval will come once the league’s board recommends the deal, pending Regulator’s State of the Game report due on 12 Oct. View 2 Images