Doesn’t look as big a cup ticket allocation for Arsenal that Newcastle United fans are expecting | OneFootball

Newcastle United fans awaited the semi-final draw with much anticipation last night, with Arsenal drawn out against NUFC.

Tottenham v Liverpool the other one.

Newcastle United will be at home in the second leg, that game to be played in the week commencing Monday 3 February 2025.

Ahead of that second leg, Newcastle are home to Fulham on Saturday 1 February with a 3pm kick-off, whilst it is Arsenal v Man City on Sunday 2 February with a 4.30pm kick-off. The timings of those matches and who the two semi-finalists are playing, suggests they will do Newcastle no harm in terms of preparation for the second leg.

Ahead of that of course is the first leg in week commencing Monday 6 January, Newcastle are away at Spurs on Saturday 4 January with a 12.30pm kick-off, whilst Arsenal are away at Brighton with a 5.30pm kick-off on the same day.

For many Newcastle United fans, talk has swiftly turned to tickets for the semi-final matches.

The competition rules state that away clubs are entitled to at least 10% of capacity for Carabao Cup matches.

Many Newcastle United fans excited at the prospect of getting 6,000 tickets for the first leg at the Emirates.

However, having had a look at previous Carabao Cup matches that Arsenal have hosted at the Emirates, I wouldn’t be so sure.

Back in January 2022, Liverpool fans received 5,228 tickets for their Carabao Cup away leg in the semi-final.

Whilst in September this year, Bolton fans received ‘the full allocation of 5,198 tickets for the trip to the Emirates Stadium’ in the Carabao Cup third round.

This commonly happens, clubs giving less than 10% and usually the justification is difficulties in segregation, needing separate exits for the two sets of fans, police advice etc etc.

I tried to find a stat for Crystal Palace fans and their allocation in the quarter-final at the Emirates this past week but couldn’t find an exact number quoted. Various Palace fan sites talk of taking ‘6,000’ but my guess is that in reality they will have received the same as Bolton, around 5,200, then rounded it up to the 6,000!

Newcastle United do similar as Arsenal and this season Chelsea fans got 4,883 tickets for St James’ Park in the Carabao Cup, not 5,200+, which would be 10%.

In looking around for info, I have also seen reports claiming Man U have made an official complaint ahead of their FA Cup match at the Emirates next month. In the FA Cup it is 15% that away fans are entitled to, however, the reports claim that Man U have received less than 8,000 tickets, rather than the 9,000 which they should be entitled to.

The Mag report on the semi-final draw last night – 19 December 2024:

The Carabao Cup semi-final draw has been made, Newcastle United drawing Arsenal.

The other last four two-legged match is Tottenham v Liverpool.

Carabao Cup semi-final draw:

Arsenal v Newcastle and Tottenham v Liverpool

The perceived draw advantage is for Newcastle United and Liverpool, as they will play the second legs at their own grounds.

The Carabao Cup semi-finals will take place across two legs – the first in the week commencing Monday 6 January 2025, and the second in the week of Monday 3 February 2025.

A few other details about the semis, reported ahead of Thursday night’s draw.

When are the semi-finals being played?

The Carabao Cup semi-finals take place across two legs – the first in the week commencing 6 January 2025, and the second in the week of 3 February 2025.

The semis have been held over two legs since the tournament first took place in 1960. But this format has recently come under scrutiny.

A single-leg tie has been suggested to help ease current headaches around fixture congestion and match scheduling.

But earlier this year, EFL chief executive Trevor Birch said two-legged semis “provide significant financial benefit to EFL clubs”, and would not be scrapped without “significant levels of compensation”.

The final will take place on 16 March 2025 at Wembley Stadium.

Is there VAR in the Carabao Cup?

So far, VAR has not been used in the tournament this season. VAR will be introduced for the semi-final matches, and for the final at Wembley Stadium.

The use of VAR in Carabao Cup matches is decided by the EFL,, external which – as well as deciding not to use the technology – can also insist a club installs the systems at their stadium for a semi-final tie.

Last year, VAR was not used until the final. This is because Middlesbrough – a Championship club – made it through to the final four, and did not have the technology at their home stadium.

The EFL deemed it unfair for the other semi-final match to use VAR.

Will semi-final matches go to extra time?

No extra time is played in matches up to and including the quarter-finals. If the match ends as a draw at full-time, a penalty shootout will decide the winner.

EFL clubs voted to scrap extra time in the Carabao Cup before the 2018-19 season.

For the second leg of the semi-final and the final, an extra half-hour will be played before going to penalties, should the score remain level.’