The Carabao Cup draw determines the competitive matchups for the English Football League Cup, an annual knockout tournament featuring all 92 professional clubs across the top four tiers of the English football pyramid. For the 2026/2027 tournament, the opening first-round draw was officially completed on Thursday, June 25, 2026, structuring 70 competing teams into regionalized Northern and Southern sections. This comprehensive guide provides everything you need to know about how the draw operates, the introduction of a new preliminary round caused by expanded European schedules, upcoming round schedules, and historical context for England’s first major domestic cup competition of the season.
Tournament Background
The EFL Cup, known as the Carabao Cup due to sponsorship reasons, has been a staple of English football since its inception in 1960. It offers teams from the Premier League, the Championship, League One, and League Two a direct pathway to domestic silverware and European qualification. The winner of the tournament earns an automatic placement in the following season’s UEFA Conference League. Manchester City enter the 2026/2027 tournament as the defending champions, having defeated Arsenal 2-0 in the March 2026 final at Wembley Stadium.
Preliminary Round Expansion
A major logistical shift occurs in the 2026/2027 competition due to an unprecedented nine English clubs qualifying for European competitions. Crystal Palace’s victory in the UEFA Conference League final secured a ninth European spot for Premier League sides, alongside Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Brighton, and Sunderland. To maintain a balanced 32-team bracket by the time the third round arrives, the EFL introduced a unique preliminary round for the bottom four teams entering the pyramid. This structural adjustment means the two promoted teams from the National League must play a single-leg playoff to enter the formal first-round draw pool.
Preliminary Round Fixtures
The preliminary matches are scheduled to kick off the domestic cup season at the very start of August. The ties will establish which of the lower-league sides advance into the predetermined slots within the regionalized first-round proper.
Northern Section Playoff
Tranmere Rovers will play host to Rochdale at Prenton Park in Birkenhead. The match is scheduled for Saturday, August 1, 2026, at 7:30 PM. The victorious side in this single-elimination fixture will officially advance to face Bradford City away from home in the first round.
Southern Section Playoff
York City will travel to face Crawley Town at the LNER Community Stadium. This fixture is set for Monday, August 3, 2026, at 7:30 PM local time. Because of regional imbalances caused by the nine top-tier European teams, the winner of this match will automatically slot into the southern section of the draw to face Watford, despite the geographic location of the participating clubs.
First Round Draw
The formal first-round draw features 70 teams competing in a single-leg knockout format across two distinct regional groups. All first-round ties are scheduled to take place during the week commencing August 7, 2026.
Northern Section
The Northern section features historical heavyweights and lower-league clubs fighting for early-season momentum. Highly anticipated matchups include local rivalries and tricky away fixtures for Championship sides.
- Middlesbrough vs. Wrexham
- Rotherham vs. West Brom
- Barnsley vs. Wigan
- Mansfield vs. Sheffield United
- Stockport vs. Doncaster Rovers
- Sheffield Wednesday vs. Bolton
- Fleetwood vs. Chesterfield
- Crewe vs. Accrington Stanley
- Stoke City vs. Oldham
- Wolves vs. Port Vale
- Burnley vs. Notts County
- Derby County vs. Lincoln City
- Bradford vs. Tranmere Rovers or Rochdale
- Burton Albion vs. Blackburn Rovers
- Salford vs. Shrewsbury
- Grimsby vs. Blackpool
- Preston vs. Huddersfield
Southern Section
The Southern section pits established London sides against competitive clubs across the south of England and Wales. Key matches include London derbies and testing fixtures for newly relegated teams.
- Queens Park Rangers vs. Millwall
- Cheltenham vs. Charlton Athletic
- Gillingham vs. Luton Town
- Cardiff City vs. Swindon Town
- Bristol City vs. Walsall
- Plymouth Argyle vs. Exeter City
- Bristol Rovers vs. Peterborough United
- Watford vs. York City or Crawley Town
- Cambridge United vs. Barnet
- Norwich City vs. Milton Keynes Dons
- Colchester United vs. Southampton
- Leyton Orient vs. Oxford United
- Wycombe Wanderers vs. Stevenage
- Bromley vs. Reading
- Swansea City vs. Birmingham City
- West Ham vs. Portsmouth
- AFC Wimbledon vs. Newport County
- Leicester City vs. Northampton Town
Structural Draw Rules
The Carabao Cup draw utilizes a strict set of regulations managed by the EFL Board to maintain competitive fairness and manage player workload. Understanding these rules helps fans anticipate how future rounds will shape up.
Regional Seeding
The first and second rounds are divided strictly into Northern and Southern sections to reduce travel fatigue and lower logistical costs for lower-league clubs. Teams are assigned to their respective pools based on geographic coordinates. After the completion of the opening round, the EFL adjusts the sections to ensure an equal number of teams remain in both halves, occasionally swapping the most southerly northern team into the southern bracket.
Bye Regulations
Clubs participating in UEFA competitions receive an automatic bye to the third round. For the 2026/2027 season, a record nine Premier League clubs are exempt from the first two rounds. The remaining 11 Premier League clubs that have no European commitments enter the draw pool automatically in the second round, alongside the 35 advancing winners from the first round.
No Extra Time
To minimize physical strain on professional squads during mid-week fixtures, the EFL abolished extra time in the early rounds of the competition. If any match in rounds one through five ends in a draw after 90 minutes of regulation play, the tie proceeds immediately to a standard penalty shootout to determine the winner. Extra time is only utilized during the second leg of the semi-finals and the showcase final at Wembley Stadium.
Full Tournament Schedule
The 2026/2027 Carabao Cup campaign runs from August 2026 through March 2027. Matches are predominantly played on mid-week Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.
| Tournament Round | Date of Round (Week Commencing) |
| Preliminary Round | August 1 – August 3, 2026 |
| Round One | Weekend of August 7 – August 9, 2026 |
| Round Two | Week Commencing August 24, 2026 |
| Round Three | Weeks Commencing September 7 & September 14, 2026 |
| Round Four | Week Commencing October 26, 2026 |
| Round Five | Week Commencing December 14, 2026 |
| Semi-Final First Leg | Week Commencing January 11, 2027 |
| Semi-Final Second Leg | Week Commencing February 1, 2027 |
| Tournament Final | Sunday, March 21, 2027 |
Practical Information and Planning
Attending a Carabao Cup match offers a unique atmosphere, often featuring cheaper ticket prices and heavily rotated squads. Fans looking to follow the draw and attend games should plan according to standard EFL matchday protocols.
Ticket Prices: Early-round tickets typically cost between £10 and £25 for adults, significantly lower than standard league match pricing. Tickets are purchased directly through the official ticketing offices of the hosting clubs.
Venue Locations: Early rounds take place at the home stadium of the first club drawn in each pairing. The final match is hosted exclusively at Wembley Stadium in London.
Television Broadcasts: In the United Kingdom, live television coverage of the draws and selected matches is split between Sky Sports and ITV Sport. International broadcast rights vary by region.
What to Expect: Managers frequently use early-round Carabao Cup ties to rotate their squads. Expect to see a mixture of promising academy graduates and senior squad players looking for match fitness.
FAQs
When is the next Carabao Cup draw?
The draw for the second round takes place immediately following the conclusion of the final televised first-round match, typically in mid-August. The EFL announces the exact date and broadcast time during the first-round game week.
How are teams split in the draw?
Teams are divided into Northern and Southern regional sections for the first and second rounds. From the third round onward, the regional restrictions are completely removed, creating an open nationwide draw.
Do Premier League teams play in round one?
No Premier League teams play in the first round of the Carabao Cup. The 11 top-flight teams without European commitments enter in the second round, while the nine teams in Europe enter in the third round.
Is there extra time in Carabao Cup matches?
There is no extra time in rounds one through five of the Carabao Cup. If a match is tied after 90 minutes, it goes straight to a penalty shootout. Extra time is only used in the semi-final second legs and the final.
Where can I watch the Carabao Cup draw live?
The draws are broadcast live in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports News and via the official Sky Sports Football YouTube channel. Selected draws are also shown on ITV during their matchday highlight programs.
Why do some teams get a bye?
Teams that have qualified for European competitions receive an automatic bye to the third round. This rule prevents fixture congestion caused by the dense scheduling of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.
How many substitutions are allowed?
Teams can name up to nine substitutes on their bench for a Carabao Cup match. Managers are permitted to use a maximum of five substitutions during the 90 minutes of regulation play.
When is the Carabao Cup final?
The 2026/2027 Carabao Cup final will be played on Sunday, March 21, 2027. The showcase match is held annually at Wembley Stadium in London.
What does the winner of the cup receive?
The winning club receives the official EFL Cup trophy and secures an automatic place in the play-off round of the following season’s UEFA Conference League. If the winner has already qualified for Europe via the Premier League, the spot transfers to the highest-placed league team that hasn’t qualified for Europe.
Are VAR rules used in the draw matches?
Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology is not used in the early rounds of the competition because many lower-league stadiums lack the necessary infrastructure. VAR is traditionally implemented from the semi-final stage onward.
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