- Arsenal will miss out on millions after losing the 2026 Carabao Cup final against Manchester City on March 21
- Mikel Arteta’s side were well beaten by their opponents thanks to a quick goal from Nico O’Reilly at Wembley Stadium
- We look at the Carabao Cup prize and Arteta’s reaction after a player change cost Arsenal the trophy
Arsenal were left licking their wounds after losing against Manchester City in the 2026 Carabao Cup final on Sunday evening.
Source: Getty Images
Mikel Arteta was outwitted by his boss Pep Guardiola when he was left regretting his decision to start Kepa Arrizabalaga instead of David Raya.
The former goalkeeper of Chelsea he entered the final and gave Manchester City the opening goal after failing to hold onto the ball, allowing Nico O’Reilly to score the first of his two goals.
The results increased the drought Arsenal of the cup to six years as they failed to erase their painful memories of the Carabao Cup final.
Carabao Cup prize money
The Carabao Cup does not offer a huge financial advantage to whoever wins it compared to the FA Cup. Arsenal and Manchester City were in it for respect and psychological purposes ahead of the Premier League title race.
The winner of the competition takes home £100,000 (KSh 17.6 million) in prize money, according to the BBC Sport as it says.
Additionally, winning the Carabao Cup gives the team a ticket to the play-off rounds of the Conference League, although the team can relinquish their place if they qualify for Europe’s top competitions, namely the Champions League and Europa League. Manchester City will certainly leave their position as they are assured of a place in the Champions League next season.
How much will Arsenal earn after losing the Carabao Cup final?
The losers of the final at Wembley Stadium will get half of that amount, which is 50,000 pounds (KSh 8.8 million), while the losers of the semi-finals will get 25,000 pounds each (KSh 4.4 million). Chelsea and Newcastle United were the losers in the semi-finals.
Speaking after the game, Arteta admitted he was sad and the result had left a ‘bad taste’ in their mouths.
“Yes, it is very sad, it is very difficult to accept, especially for our players and our fans because we know what it means to them and what we want, and the fact that we have not managed to provide that is obviously disappointing and sad and it leaves you with a really bad taste,” he said according to club website.
Source: Getty Images
What next for Arsenal?
After missing out on their quadruple dream, Arsenal will now chase a treble. They have a nine-point lead over Manchester City in the Premier League.
They play Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals after the international break and have a Champions League quarter-final date with Sporting Lisbon.
Arsenal vs Manchester City referee banned from officiating both teams
Meanwhile, Peter Bankes, who was the referee for the Carabao Cup final, is barred from officiating games involving two teams.
Bankes led a largely error-free game at Wembley Stadium as Manchester City ran out 2-0 victors.
The Liverpool-born official has two clubs that he cannot take charge of.
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