English soccer’s secondary Carabao Cup knockout competition will keep its moniker until at least the 2028-29 season after striking an early title sponsorship renewal with the Thailand-based energy drinks brand.
The two-year renewal was struck by the English Football League (EFL) soccer structure ahead of this year’s final between Premier League giants Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley and will take the pair’s partnership to 12 seasons, extending Carabao’s period as the longest-serving naming partnership of the tournament.
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The brand last renewed its title sponsorship in October 2023, with the agreement due to run through the 2026-27 season.
Under the new deal, Carabao will continue to have a prominent digital and in-stadia presence across all cup fixtures and a range of assets, including tickets to share exclusively with their customers.
As part of the renewal, next season’s edition will provide the stage for the UK launch of Carabao Lager, which will gain branding across stadiums hosting League Cup matches.
Selected fixtures will also offer supporters the chance to sample the new product on matchday.
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By GlobalDataCarabao Group chief executive Sathien Sathientham said: “As proud sponsor of the Carabao Cup since 2017, Carabao is honored to continue its long-standing partnership with the EFL.
“We are extremely delighted to have extended our sponsorship agreement through to the 2028-29 season.
“Being part of the competition’s journey for so many years is something we are incredibly proud of, and we look forward to supporting its growth and success for many seasons to come.”
The brand first partnered with the competition in a three-year deal in 2017, succeeding Capital One, the international credit card company, which paid £5.5 million per annum in its four-year deal that expired after the 2015-16 campaign.
The 2016-17 competition was known as the EFL Cup as it was without a title sponsor that season.
In terms of other top-tier EFL commercial sponsors, Sky Bet is the body’s title partner in a deal running through 2028-29, with other key tie-ups including agreements with brands including Carabao, Electronic Arts, and eBay.
Primary domestic rights to the competition are held by dominant pay-TV operator Sky, which has a five-year deal with the EFL worth £935 million in total and running through the 2028-29 season.
Sky also has a sub-licensing deal in place with commercial broadcaster ITV to air a select number of Carabao Cup fixtures through the 2026-27 season.
Under that deal, Each full campaign, ITV will screen at least nine Carabao Cup matches in total, including one tie from each of the first four rounds, one additional tie from either the third or fourth round, two quarter-finals, one semi-final, and the final.
Additionally, ITV will simulcast 10 matches from the Championship each full season, and five matches in the second half of 2024-25, with the option to switch their selection to matches from third-tier League One or fourth-tier League Two.
US national network CBS Sports provides coverage of the tournament as part of a wide-ranging deal that sees its broadcast a minimum of 250 EFL matches per season across the Championship, League One, League Two, Carabao Cup, and Bristol Street Motors Trophy through the 2027-28 season.
