Why Chelsea vs Arsenal is worth less than Partick Thistle vs Inverness

Martin Macdonald

• 14 Jan 2026 06:15 CST
• 4 min read

Nieuws

It seems the incentive to win the Carabao Cup in England is purely for the glory of silverware rather than financial.

Each season, around 70 clubs in the English football pyramid, from League Two to the Premier League, compete to win the second most prestigious cup in the country behind the FA Cup.

Liverpool have won the Carabao Cup (League Cup) more than any other club with 10 victories, while the current holders are Newcastle who won the competition in 2025.

While it is a prestigious trophy, more elite sides have taken to fielding weaker teams in the early stages of the competition due to the increasing demands of the football schedule. Over the last 10-15 years or so, bigger sides from the Premier League have only fielded full-strength XIs in the semi-final or even the final.

Part of the reason for that, in addition to the schedule, is there is not a major financial incentive to win the Carabao Cup.

If a team wins the final, they are given a prize of £100,000 - an amount an elite player can be expected to be paid, per week, by a Premier League side.

For their progression to the final and eventual win in 2025, Newcastle were paid £182,000 in prize money in total, having entered in the second round.

Scottish Challenge Cup pays more

Everyone knows the financial gulf between English football and Scottish football, but it turns out that Scotland's THIRD most prestigious cup competition pays more than England's second.

The Scottish Challenge Cup takes place each campaign and doesn't even involve clubs from the top flight, which the English League Cup does.

Previously a straight knockout competition, the Challenge Cup was revamped in 2025/26 to begin with an initial league phase, akin to the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League.

With the new format came a new title sponsor in KDM Evolution and that sponsorship ensured competition winnings of £150,000.

An estimated £1.25 million in prize money will be shared with clubs for the 2025/26 KDM Evolution Trophy – an increase of more than 50% on the 2024/25 edition.

For some of the clubs in the lower echelons of Scottish football, that's a figure not to be sniffed at.

KDM Evolution Trophy
Last 16 results

£40K payment for the 8 losers
(Montrose, QOS, Stirling Albion, Forfar, East Fife, Ross County, Stranraer, Partick)

£50k - at least - for the 8 winners
(Airdrieonians, Raith, Stenhousemuir, Queen's Park, Arbroath, St Johnstone, Ayr, ICT) https://t.co/ml4vXcEbcu pic.twitter.com/Of2V311A13

— Scotland’s Coefficient (@scotlandscoeff1) January 13, 2026

When the partnership with KDM Evolution was announced, Neil Doncaster, group chief executive of the SPFL, said: “We are really pleased to welcome KDM Group as the title sponsor for the KDM Evolution Trophy from season 2025/26, and to announce a significant rise in prize money for next season’s competition.

“KDM Group is a highly-respected and well-established firm in Scotland, the UK and beyond, and have already demonstrated a passion for Scottish football. They have a proud history of supporting our national sport and thislong-term deal isreally positive newsfor all 42 member clubs.

“We’re confident the new competition format will help develop some of our most promising players across the country. Allowing players to compete at a high level from the age of 15 will pay dividends for them, for their clubs and ultimately, for the national side.”

Falkirk have won the Challenge Cup more than any other side, while the current holders are Livingston.

In the current 2025/26 League Phase, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Stenhousemuir lead the way on 18 points at the top of the table after winning six out of six so far.

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