The English Football League (EFL) has publicly criticized UEFA, citing an “unwillingness to cooperate” after the European governing body’s scheduling decisions forced the league to rearrange three domestic fixtures. The dispute centers on the Carabao Cup third-round tie between Everton and Wolves, which was originally set for September 9.
The conflict arose when UEFA announced on Saturday that the Champions League match between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid would take place on the same evening. Because Everton and Liverpool cannot host home matches on the same night, the EFL was compelled to adjust its calendar. The league confirmed that it met with UEFA officials on Monday morning to discuss potential alternatives, but reported that UEFA refused to move the Liverpool-Atletico fixture, citing concerns over the impact on traveling supporters.
In a formal statement, the EFL expressed frustration, noting that it has previously made significant adjustments to accommodate the expansion of UEFA club competitions—often without adequate consultation. These past measures included splitting the third round of the Carabao Cup across two weeks and implementing specific draw conditions to avoid scheduling overlaps with European competitions. The EFL apologized to the supporters of the five affected clubs for the inconvenience caused by this latest development.
Response from UEFA
UEFA defended its position, stating that it consistently strives to accommodate reasonable requests from leagues and clubs. However, the governing body argued that the “potential conflict” only became apparent after the official fixture lists had been published, at which point adjustments were no longer feasible. UEFA emphasized that it must respect the travel and accommodation commitments already made by a significant number of supporters.
Updated Carabao Cup Schedule
- Everton vs. Wolves: Rescheduled to Wednesday, September 16.
- Liverpool vs. Tottenham: Moved one day earlier than the original September 16 date.
- Wolves vs. Portsmouth: Postponed from September 16 to October 20.
Upcoming Fixtures and Watch Schedule
- Chornomorets Odesa vs. Livyi Bereh: 04/09/2026 at 15:30
- Polissya Zhytomyr vs. Kudrivka: 04/09/2026 at 20:30
- Hannover 96 vs. Karlsruher SC: 04/09/2026 at 22:00
- St. Pauli vs. (Opponent TBD): 04/09/2026 at 22:00
- Hoffenheim Women vs. Bayer Leverkusen Women: 04/09/2026 at 22:00
- Ingolstadt vs. Alemannia Aachen: 04/09/2026 at 22:30
UEFA stated that it remains in contact with all relevant stakeholders and continues to appreciate efforts aimed at minimizing local operational challenges. The report also notes that “Disappointingly, the League has therefore been forced to make changes. The report also notes that “At that stage, it was not possible to make changes, particularly given the significant number of supporters who may already have arranged international travel and accommodation. The report also notes that we believe that these commitments deserve to be respected. The report also notes that arsenal pursue Julian Alvarez as Liverpool close on Barcola, Spurs push Ndiaye, Chelsea and Man United latest OffsAIde. The report also notes that tottenham respond to Cody Gakpo snub by raiding Everton – ‘Agreement in principle reached’ Football365. The report also notes that weekend Football Quiz: Mbappe’s hat-trick, Spurs’ debut scorer, Champions League draw and more Planet Football.
