How could the EFL Cup be made relevant again?
In less than a month’s time, Scousers and Geordies will travel from the north to watch the EFL (English Football League) Cup final; between Liverpool, currently top of the English football pyramid, and Newcastle who are waiting for their first taste of major silverware since 1969.
It’s a huge opportunity for both clubs. Following the departure of fan-favourite Jurgen Klopp, Arne Slott has stepped into big shoes but has filled them better than anyone could have expected. A major trophy at the earliest possible opportunity, sets the standard for a possible treble-winning season. While a first major trophy in 56 years would not only be a momentous occasion for the city but to disturb the footballing elite of a club different from the big 6 (Manchester Utd, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham) winning since Leicester City in 2021.
English football is an anomaly in world football in the sense that it has two cup competitions, the EFL and FA Cups. While most countries have removed or never had a second cup competition, England has kept its and is the only UEFA member to have two cups, - a decision that hasn’t come without backlash. The EFL Cup was first proposed to make up for money lost from a reduction of league game being played. Yet, due to the huge sums of money from the Premier League and UEFA competitions, the prize money isn’t significant enough for the large clubs to care or take the competition seriously. Winning the cup gets the club £100,000 compared to £2 million for its much older and greater respected brother, the FA Cup.
Most Premier League clubs play their less senior players even with the risk of being knocked out. Concessions have been made, clubs playing in Europe on weekdays enter the competition at a later stage along with rumours that in the future the famous 2-legged semi-finals could be scrapped. Does England need a competition which is mostly uncared for, contributes to fixture congestion and is unique in Europe? Or is there a different way to make the EFL Cup relevant?
Brazil doesn’t have an EFL Cup, but does have a State Championship. Think of it like this: West Midland’s teams would play a round robin or knockout style competition every year. Eventually crowning the champion of the West Midlands. This could be the most sought-after event every year, bringing back jeopardy to the cup, along with selling out stadiums again and getting young fans to support their local club. Having this format across England, would increase attendance and revenue for the smaller league sides getting large crowds against large county rivals.
On the other hand, we’ve seen what rivalries can do to fans. At the Black Country derby in January 2024 crowd trouble spilled onto the pitch leading to the game being halted. Imagine this all across the country on the same night week in week out. There could be problems of funding for the competitions as well. Local FA’s would struggle to produce significant prize money, leading to clubs not playing their best eleven. While large crowds could be brought in, they would be soon disappointed to watch club's backups play out a low-quality game. The repetitive nature of league football is why the cups are so adored by fans: it’s an opportunity to watch your side against teams you may no face for years again.
The EFL Cup is a staple on the English footballing calendar, founded 65 years ago but is becoming less relevant in a football world where money is key and there is such a large focus on reducing the number of matches played. However, a change in format could revamp a slowly dying cup and increase attendances and support for local community clubs.