The PGMOL has announced the officiating team for the 2026 Carabao Cup Final.
Arsenal’s path to Wembley included overcoming early stage matches against Port Vale and Brighton, followed by a nail-biting penalty shootout victory against Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals.
In the semi-finals, Arsenal faced Chelsea in an intense London derby, securing a 2-3 win in the first leg at Stamford Bridge. In the second leg at the Emirates, Kai Havertz scored a dramatic 96th-minute goal, sealing a 4-2 aggregate win and marking Arsenal’s first League Cup final appearance since 2018.
Meanwhile, Manchester City, managed by Pep Guardiola, breezed through their away matches against Huddersfield Town and Swansea City before defeating Brentford in the quarter-finals.
City’s semi-final performance was particularly dominant, as they dismantled Newcastle United with a 5-1 aggregate score, with standout contributions from Omar Marmoush and Tijjani Reijnders, leading City to their 10th final appearance in the competition.
As Arsenal prepares to meet Manchester City, the FA PGMOL has confirmed the match officials for the Final at Wembley Stadium!
Match Referee
Peter Bankes has been appointed to officiate the prestigious 2026 Carabao Cup Final, a well-deserved recognition for his consistent performance this season.
Throughout his officiating career, Bankes has presided over 14 matches involving Arsenal, resulting in 10 wins, one draw, and three losses for the Gunners, along with 13 yellow cards issued during these encounters.
In his matches with Manchester City, Bankes has met Guardiola on 12 occasions, leading to six wins, one draw, and five losses for City, with a total of 18 yellow cards and one straight red card issued.
This season, City has won two of the three matches refereed by Bankes, with victories over Leeds United, but suffered a loss at home to Tottenham Hotspur in August.
Before the Final, Bankes officiated only one League Cup tie, overseeing Arsenal’s narrow 1-0 semi-final second-leg victory against Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium in early February.
Assistant Referees
On 22 March, Peter Bankes will be joined by assistant referees Neil Davies and Steve Meredith for the match.
Video Assistant Referees
The VAR booth will feature referee John Brooks as the Video Assistant Referee, supported by Assistant VAR Dan Robathan.
Fourth Official
Referee Tom Bramall will serve as the fourth official, overseeing the actions of Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, while Marc Perry will act as the reserve assistant referee.
Despite currently serving a two-match suspension in domestic football due to an accumulation of yellow cards, Guardiola will be present on the touchline for the Cup Final.
Guardiola received the ban during City’s 1-3 away victory against Newcastle in the FA Cup fifth round, leading to his absence from the upcoming matches against West Ham and Liverpool, for which Pep Lijnders will assume responsibilities.