Top 10 Carabao Cup Winners: A Complete List of Teams with the Most Wins

Discover the ultimate Carabao Cup winners list, showcasing the clubs with the most titles in the prestigious tournament from 1961 - 2023.

Since its inception in 1960, the EFL 'Carabao Cup has witnessed glory, heartbreak, and the crowning of champions from 23 different teams. From legendary players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantona, and Wayne Rooney to the thrill of early silverware, this competition has it all.

Considered one of English Football's 'Big 3' domestic trophies, the Carabao Cup offers teams the chance to make their mark and ignite their season with a morale-boosting triumph.

Over the years, the Carabao Cup has been graced by some of the greatest English teams ever assembled. Remember the iconic Manchester United 2009 double winners or the extraordinary Manchester City Centurions? They have left an indelible mark on this illustrious competition, but who holds the record for the most wins in Carabao Cup history?

Read on as we unveil the top 10 most successful teams in the history of the Carabao Cup. Get ready to relive remarkable moments, celebrate the heroes, and discover the standout clubs that have left an enduring legacy in this thrilling tournament.

10. Birmingham City

Titles: 2 | Years: 1963, 2011

At number ten on the list, we have Birmingham City, who have won the Carabao Cup two times since its conception.

The Birmingham side won the Cup for the first time in 1962, becoming only the third club to do so at the time. They beat fierce local rivals Aston Villa 3-1 at their home ground in a hotly contested final to claim the Cup.

Birmingham’s second triumph came 47 years later in the 2010/11 season when they sensationally defeated Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal side in the final. The Blues claimed the cup courtesy of an Obafemi Martins dramatic last-minute winner that sent the Blue army into absolute raptures.

9. Arsenal

Titles: 2 | Years: 1987, 1993

Next up on our list is the aforementioned Arsenal. Although they lost out to Birmingham City in 2011, the Gunners have won the Cup twice themselves.

Their first Carabao Cup win came in 1987 when they defeated Liverpool 2-1 in a thrilling contest that saw the North London side score an 83rd-minute winner through Charlie Nicholas, who netted twice in a man-of-the-match performance.

The Gunners' second cup win also came before the turn of the millennium, when they bested Sheffield Wednesday in the 1993 Cup Final. The Owls got off to a flying start and John Harkes put them ahead in the eighth minute, but goals from Paul Merson and Stephen Morrow handed Arsenal the win.

8. Leicester City

Titles: 3 | Years: 1964, 1997, 2000

Leicester City is a team that has relished in defying the odds, with their incredible achievements of winning the Premier League and the FA Cup in the past decade.

But before the dawn of the new millennium, the club's most significant triumphs came in the form of three glorious victories in the EFL Cup.

The first came in 1964 when they defeated Stoke City 3-2 to claim their first-ever major trophy. The Foxes added a second to their haul in 1997 when they bested Middlesbrough in the final courtesy of a Steve Claridge extra-time winner.

The Blues needed only three years to collect their third cup, beating out Tranmere Rovers 2-1 in the final, with Mathew Elliot the hero on the day with both of Leicester's goals.

7. Nottingham Forest

Titles: 4 | Years: 1978, 1979, 1989, 1990

Once considered a formidable force in European football, Nottingham Forest may have slipped into relative obscurity in recent times. However, it's impossible to forget their illustrious past, which includes an impressive tally of 10 major honours—all achieved before the turn of the millennium.

Within this esteemed collection of trophies, Nottingham Forest proudly boasts four Carabao Cup wins. The first triumph occurred in 1978 when they secured a memorable victory over Liverpool, courtesy of a decisive penalty from John Robertson.

The following year, in 1979, the Reds clinched their second Carabao Cup with a thrilling 3-2 win against Southampton, thanks to two goals from Gary Birtles and a winning strike by Anthony Woodcock.

Nottingham Forest's run of success didn't end there. The club demonstrated their dominance by claiming two more consecutive titles, securing their third Carabao Cup in 1989 after overpowering Luton Town. This was followed by a remarkable fourth win in 1990, where they emerged victorious with a narrow 1-0 triumph against Oldham Athletic.

6. Tottenham Hotspur

Titles: 4 | Years: 1971, 1973, 1999, 2008

As one of England’s ‘Big 6’ clubs, Tottenham Hotspur have a pretty hefty cabinet of major honours under their belt, including two league titles and eight FA Cups.

The Lilywhites have also picked up four Carabao Cup wins along the way, with their first victory coming in 1971 when two goals from Martin Chivers brought the Cup home to North London. Two years later Tottenham were champions once again, beating Norwich City 1-0 in the 1973 final.

Spurs added their third title in 1999, defeating Leicester City 1-0 in the final thanks to an Allan Nielsen 90th-minute winner. The club from N17 completed their quadruple in 2008 when they bested local rivals Chelsea in the final. The win remains their last trophy success to date.

5. Chelsea

Titles: 5 | Years: 1965, 1998, 2005, 2007, 2015

West London side Chelsea come above their local rivals Tottenham and Arsenal in this list, with five Carabao Cup wins to their name.

The first came way back in 1965 in a thrilling contest against Leicester City that ended 3-2 in favour of the Blues, with Robert Tambling, Terry Venables and Edward McCreadie on the scoresheet. The Fulham side picked up their second win in 1998 when they sealed a dramatic extra-time win against Middlesbrough.

The next three Cups came during the era of Roman Abramovich and his oligarch billions, with Chelsea beating Liverpool 3-2 in 2005 and then defeating local rivals Arsenal 2-1 and Tottenham 2-0 in 2007 and 2015.

In the latest Carabao Cup fixture, Chelsea secured a place in the Carabao Cup Final 2024 by defeating Middlesborough with an impressive aggregate score of 6-2. This victory sets up an exciting final against either Fulham or Liverpool.

4. Aston Villa

Titles: 5 | Years: 1961, 1975, 1977, 1994, 1996

Coming in fourth on the list we have Birmingham side Aston Villa, who join Chelsea on five Carabao Cup wins.

The Villans were the first team ever to win the competition, beating Rotherham United 3-2 in the inaugural cup final. They conquered the cup again 14 years later in 1975 beating Norwich City 1-0 thanks to a late winner from Raymond Graydon.

Two years later they were champions again after three late goals from Christopher Nicholl and Brian Little handed them the win against Everton. The Birmingham side defeated Manchester United 3-1 in 1994 to claim their fourth cup and then blew away Leeds United 3-0 in 1996 for their fifth.

3. Manchester United

Titles: 6 | Years: 1992, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2017, 2023

Surprisingly, the Carabao Cup was the one domestic trophy that eluded Manchester United for the first 114 years of their history.

The Red Devil’s first Carabao Cup win came in 1992 when they defeated Nottingham Forest 1-0, thanks to a goal from Brian McClair to finally end their drought and complete the Reds' mission to win every piece of available domestic silverware.

The Cups began to flood in after that, with the Reds winning another four between 2006 and 2017. United blew Wigan away 4-0 in 2006 to claim their second, the third came in 2009 after a penalties win against Tottenham.

The club won their fourth in 2010, coming out 2-1 winners against West Midlands side Aston Villa. Their fifth win came in 2017 when a late Zlatan Ibrahimovic header sealed the win for United in a thrilling contest against Southampton.

Manchester United are also the most recent winners of the Carabao Cup, defeating Newcastle United 2-0 in the 2023 final to take home their sixth Carabao Cup title.

2. Manchester City

Titles: 8 | Years: 1970, 1976, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

Next up we have Manchester City with a very impressive eight Carabao Cup wins, three more than their rivals Manchester United.

The club’s first Cup win didn't come until 1970 when they came back from a goal behind to beat West Brom 2-1 thanks to an extra-time winner from Glyn Pardoe. The Cityzens won their second title six years later in 1976, beating Newcastle United 2-1 thanks to first-half goals from Peter Barnes and Dennis Tueart.

Since the turn of the millennium City have been by far the most dominant team in the competition's history, winning the cup six times in eight years.

The Sky Blues defeated Sunderland in 2014, Liverpool in 2016, and then went on to win four consecutive Carabao Cups from 2018 to 2021, beating Arsenal, Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Tottenham in the finals.

Their Carabao Cup win in 2019 was one-third of their domestic treble win, they are currently the only team ever to achieve that feat.

1. Liverpool

Titles: 10 | Years: 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1995, 2001, 2003, 2012, 2022, 2024

Topping off our list as the champions of the Carabao Cup is Liverpool with a record nine victories, just beating Manchester City's eight.

The Reds' first Carabao Cup win came in 1981 when they defeated West Ham 2-1 in front of a 100 thousand-strong Wembley crowd. The Merseyside club then went on to win the cup in 1982, 1983 and 1984 to complete the quadruple of consecutive cup wins, a feat only matched by Manchester City.

Liverpool added a fifth cup to their collection in 1995 defeating Bolton Wanderers 2-1 thanks to a brace from Steve McManaman. The sixth Carabao Cup win came in 2001 with a 5-4 penalty win against Birmingham City.

The Reds emerged victorious again in 2003 when they beat Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United 2-0 in the final with English pair Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen on the scoresheet. Cup number eight came in 2012 in a closely contested final against Cardiff City.

The record-setting cup win number nine came in 2022, when the Reds defeated Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea 11-10 on penalties, with the Blues goalkeeper missing the decisive spot kick.

The Carabao Cup final in 2024 took place between Liverpool and Chelsea. Liverpool emerged as the winners, defeating Chelsea 1-0 in a dramatic match at Wembley Stadium.

This victory marked Liverpool's 10th League Cup title and added to their impressive collection of major trophies.

The final goal was scored during extra time, securing Liverpool the Carabao Cup and providing a fitting celebration for manager Jürgen Klopp as he nears the end of his time at the club.

How can I get tickets for the Carabao Cup Final?

Get ready for the upcoming Carabao Cup Final, scheduled to take place at the renowned Wembley Stadium on 25th February 2024. Don't miss the opportunity to witness your favourite team either claim the EFL trophy or witness an unforgettable moment in history.

If you are interested in attending the final, why not do so in style? As an Official Hospitality Sales Agent of Wembley Stadium, Seat Unique is proud to offer you access to official matchday hospitality.

Watch one of the biggest highlights of the English football season from the best seats in the house with a matchday hospitality package, and benefit from luxury inclusions such as:

• Premium padded seating with unrivalled views of the pitch*.
• Access to premium dining options*.
• Early access to the stadium*.
• VIP entry and exit from the venue.
• Access to private bars on the Club Wembley concourse*.

*Benefits listed above are based on general inclusions. Please click the link below for more details on the available packages.

For more information on the Final, check out our blog post: Carabao Cup Final 2024: Date, Kick-off Time, Teams & More or why not check our list of the Carabao Cup top goal scorers.