The Carabao Cup semi-finals will air on a ‘new’ broadcaster following a significant television deal announcement.
The semi-finals kick off on Tuesday, with four teams competing for a spot in the final at Wembley Stadium in March. Arsenal will host Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg on Tuesday, while Liverpool will face Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday.
Broadcast details for the matches have been confirmed, revealing a surprise for some fans. While both legs will air on Sky Sports, ITV will also broadcast Tuesday’s Arsenal vs. Newcastle match simultaneously.
This arrangement is part of a deal announced last year, allowing the two broadcasters to air matches simultaneously to provide more free-to-air football coverage for UK fans.
This month’s Carabao Cup semi-finals mark the first of several matches ITV will air under the agreement, which runs through the 2026/27 season. At least nine Carabao Cup matches, including the final in March, will be shown on ITV, alongside games from earlier rounds. Additionally, ITV will simulcast 10 EFL Championship matches per season and five matches in the second half of this season.
ITV’s Director of Sport, Niall Sloane, said, “This deal brings viewers free-to-air coverage of top-level knockout football over the coming years, alongside key matches from the EFL. We’re excited to deliver exceptional action and insight from this expanded EFL package over the next few seasons.”
The new deal follows ITV’s well-received coverage of UEFA EURO 2024 and several England Nations League and international friendly matches.
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