Arsenal could be heading for a high-stakes Carabao Cup semi-final showdown with Chelsea if they overcome Crystal Palace in their delayed quarter-final tie.
The draw for the last four of the competition was confirmed on Wednesday night, with Chelsea paired against the winner of the quarter-final between Arsenal and Crystal Palace. The London rivals are due to meet next week at the Emirates Stadium, with a place in the semi-finals on the line.
Chelsea booked their semi-final spot with a 3-1 away win over Cardiff City, while Arsenal and Palace are yet to play after their fixture was postponed due to Palace’s involvement in the UEFA Conference League.
In the other semi-final, holders Newcastle United were drawn against Manchester City. Newcastle edged Fulham 2-1 with a late winner to keep their title defence alive, while City saw off Brentford 2-0 despite resting several key players.
The prospect of Arsenal facing Chelsea has added extra edge to the draw. The two sides have a long history in domestic cup competitions and would meet over two legs for a place in the final at Wembley.
The Arsenal–Crystal Palace quarter-final was pushed to Tuesday, December 23, to avoid fixture congestion for Palace. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta previously expressed frustration over the change but acknowledged the scheduling challenges caused by multiple competitions.
The first legs of the Carabao Cup semi-finals will be played in the week beginning January 12, 2026, with the return legs scheduled for the week starting February 2. The final will take place at Wembley Stadium on March 22.
For Arsenal, victory over Palace would set up a major test against Chelsea and a clear route towards silverware early in the year.
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