Goodison Park hosts Carabao Cup clash after Everton agreement reached 2026

Key Points

• The Preston North End against Huddersfield Town clash in the Carabao Cup first round will take place at Goodison Park on Saturday, August 8, 2026, and the kick-off is at 3 pm BST
• The game is the first competitive men’s football game in 15 months at the legendary Liverpool stadium after Everton’s 2-0 victory against Southampton in May 2025
• The move from Deepdale by Preston has been made due to the installation of a new £1.5 million hybrid pitch that will be used for the first time during the league match against Wolves on August 22
• The Everton women’s football team has been the main tenant of Goodison Park ever since the men’s team moved to the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the 2025-26 season
• The game will be shown live on Sky Sports+ as an alternative broadcast, reported by the Yorkshire Post
• The capacity of the stadium is around 39,000, and there are not going to be any Everton fans present there

Everton FC (Liverpool standard) August 8, 2026 – The iconic stadium in Liverpool is preparing to welcome competitive men’s football back to its hallowed turf this weekend, as Preston North End host Huddersfield Town in the first round of the Carabao Cup. The agreement, confirmed by both clubs and approved by the English Football League, sees the Championship side temporarily relocate their home fixture to uk/local/everton/">Everton’s former 133-year residence while Deepdale undergoes significant pitch improvements.

Why is Preston vs Huddersfield Carabao Cup game being played at Goodison Park?

As reported by journalists at The Sun, Preston North End have reached a formal deal with Everton to stage their Carabao Cup first-round tie against Huddersfield Town at Goodison Park. The Lilywhites applied to the EFL for permission to play at the alternative venue due to the installation of a new hybrid pitch at Deepdale Stadium, a project representing a significant investment of more than £1.5 million.

In an official club statement quoted by The Sun, Preston explained: “To ensure no issues after a significant £1.5m-plus investment, the decision was made to ask permission to play away from PR1 in round one.” The new pitch will be complete in time for the club’s first home league game against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, August 22, but ground staff opted to wait before exposing the surface to competitive match conditions.

The BBC confirmed the arrangement in July, noting that the cup tie kicks off at 15:00 BST on Saturday, August 8, the week before the new league season starts. Goodison Park was the home of Everton up until the start of the 2025-26 season, when they moved to their new Hill Dickinson Stadium, with the Toffees’ women’s team taking up sole residency at the historic ground.

What time does Preston vs Huddersfield kick off at Goodison Park?

According to Yorkshire Post reporting, kick-off at Goodison Park is scheduled for 3pm on Saturday, August 8. The match will be shown live on television, though it has not been given top billing on any of the main Sky Sports channels. Instead, viewers can watch the fixture as an alternative broadcast via the Sky Sports+ service, the Yorkshire Post confirmed.

Football Ground Guide reported that the fixture represents a surprise return to action during the opening weeks of the 2026-27 season, with Goodison stepping in as the alternative venue for Preston’s Carabao Cup meeting with Huddersfield. The stadium, which had been Everton’s home until the club’s relocation ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, will therefore provide a rare opportunity to host a men’s competitive fixture once again, albeit as a one-off occasion away from its traditional association with Everton’s men’s side.

Which teams are playing at Goodison Park this weekend?

Preston North End will host Huddersfield Town in what The Sun described as a unique occasion, with the stadium’s 39,000 capacity available for the fixture. However, no Everton supporters are expected in attendance, as this arrangement serves as a neutral-ground solution for Preston’s temporary home needs.

As Football Country reported, Goodison Park has been the primary residence of Everton’s women’s team since the men relocated to Hill Dickinson Stadium last season. The stadium has not hosted men’s football since May last year, when Everton beat Southampton 2-0 in an emotional farewell to their historic home.

Background: Goodison Park’s transition from Everton home to multi-club venue

Goodison Park served as Everton Football Club’s home for 133 years before the men’s team relocated to the new Hill Dickinson Stadium ahead of the 2025-26 season. The final Premier League match at the ground took place in May 2025, when Everton marked their farewell with a 2-0 victory over Southampton in what the BBC described as emotional scenes at the 133-year-old stadium.

Since the men’s departure, Everton’s women’s team have become the primary occupants of Goodison Park, establishing it as their home ground for Women’s Super League fixtures. The stadium continues to feature in women’s football scheduling, with the 2026-27 Subway Players Cup fixtures confirming Everton Women will host Birmingham City on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, Newcastle United on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, and Durham on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, all at Goodison Park.

The temporary return of men’s football this weekend represents an unusual chapter in the ground’s history, as an EFL club utilizes the facility while their own stadium undergoes improvements. This arrangement demonstrates the continued viability of Goodison Park as a matchday venue capable of hosting competitive fixtures at the highest levels of English football, even as its primary association shifts from Everton’s men’s team to the women’s side and occasional tenant arrangements.

Prediction: How this development can affect football clubs and stadium operators

This temporary venue arrangement between Preston North End and Everton could influence how clubs approach stadium management and fixture scheduling in future seasons. Ground operators with underutilised capacity following team relocations may find new revenue streams by offering their facilities to other clubs facing similar infrastructure challenges.

For clubs investing in pitch improvements or stadium upgrades, the Preston-Goodison model provides a practical blueprint for maintaining competitive schedules without compromising long-term facility investments. The £1.5 million hybrid pitch installation at Deepdale illustrates the scale of modern ground improvements, and the willingness to temporarily relocate demonstrates prudent asset management that other Championship and Premier League clubs may emulate.

For football supporters and local communities, such arrangements keep historic venues like Goodison Park in the competitive matchday conversation, maintaining their cultural relevance even as primary tenant relationships evolve. This weekend’s fixture shows that stadiums with rich heritage can continue contributing to the football calendar beyond their original club associations, potentially opening new chapters in their operational histories.