Some seeding and scheduling changes are coming to the Carabao Cup next season

Changes are coming to the Carabao Cup with a new seeding system set to be implemented.

The EFL have been forced to make some changes to their cup competition with the extended Champions League format set to begin next season. Authorities have therefore moved to avoid fixture congestion.

According to The Telegraph, the EFL are set to implement a seeding system to ensure teams playing in Europe avoid each other in the early rounds of the competition. The report also adds that rankings will be brought in that will ensure that teams in the Champions League and Europa League do not draw others in the competition.

The third round of the Carabao Cup will also be spread out over two weeks to help fixture congestion in a move which will impact the schedules of Sunderland and their Championship rivals should they reach that stage of the competition.

TalkSPORT states that EFL are “unhappy with the proposed changes, given replays have already been scrapped in the FA Cup to benefit 'bigger' clubs, blocking possible opportunities for clubs lower down the pyramid.”

UEFA’s three competitions will change formats next season with every team qualified in one big league rather than groups which will add more matches to an already busy schedule from six to eight. The Carabao Cup in its current guise starts in August and would clash with European competitions.

The changes to the Carabao Cup will see potential alterations to Sunderland’s schedule during the 2024-25 season and could mean the Black Cats are more likely to draw a ‘big’ team during the early rounds of the competition.