Chelsea Set to Face Arsenal or Crystal Palace in Carabao Cup Semi-Finals

Chelsea await Arsenal or Crystal Palace in Carabao Cup semi-finals as London derby showdown looms

Chelsea have discovered their potential opponents in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, with the Blues set to face either Arsenal or Crystal Palace in the last four of the competition. The draw has opened the door to a possible all-London derby, with Chelsea scheduled to host the first leg at Stamford Bridge.

The identity of their opponent will be confirmed after Arsenal and Crystal Palace meet in the rescheduled quarter-final later this month.

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Chelsea secured their spot in the semi-finals with a 3-1 victory over Cardiff City in the quarter-finals. Goals from Pedro Neto and a brace from Alejandro Garnacho, including a stoppage-time strike, sealed a convincing win and underlined Chelsea’s attacking depth.

The Blues are chasing their first Carabao Cup triumph since 2015, having suffered final defeats to Liverpool in both 2022 and 2024. Progressing to the semi-finals keeps their silverware hopes firmly alive this season.

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace to decide Chelsea’s opponent

The final quarter-final will see Arsenal host Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, December 23. The fixture was rescheduled due to Palace’s involvement in the Europa Conference League, easing fixture congestion for Oliver Glasner’s side.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal head into the tie in strong domestic form and will start as favourites on home soil. However, Palace have already shown this season that they can frustrate top sides, including a competitive Premier League encounter at the Emirates earlier in the campaign.

The winner of this London clash will advance to face Chelsea, setting up a potentially high-profile Premier League semi-final.

On the opposite side of the draw, Newcastle United will take on Manchester City. Newcastle edged past Fulham 2-1 in dramatic fashion thanks to a stoppage-time header, while City eased past Brentford with a controlled 2-0 win.

As defending champions, Newcastle face a major test against the eight-time winners, with the tie widely viewed as one of the standout matchups of the competition.

Semi-final format and key dates confirmed

The Carabao Cup semi-finals are played over two legs, unlike earlier rounds. Chelsea will host the first leg against the Arsenal or Crystal Palace winner in the week commencing January 12, 2026, with the return leg scheduled for the week beginning February 2, 2026.

Newcastle will also host the first leg of their tie against Manchester City before travelling for the second.

The Carabao Cup final will take place at Wembley Stadium on March 22, 2026.

For Arsenal, victory over Crystal Palace would set up a demanding two-legged showdown with Chelsea during a congested period of the season. With Premier League and FA Cup commitments also looming, squad rotation and tactical discipline will be crucial.

A semi-final meeting with Chelsea would offer Arteta’s side a chance to edge closer to silverware, while also testing their depth against a direct domestic rival.

As the Carabao Cup reaches its decisive stages, the upcoming Arsenal vs Crystal Palace clash now carries added significance — with a place in the semi-finals and a London derby against Chelsea on the line.

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