Carabao Cup

Carabao Cup first round and EFL Trophy group stage draws confirmed for 2026/27 campaign

The draws for the Carabao Cup first round and the EFL Trophy group stage have been confirmed as preparations continue for the 2026/27 season.

by
The LeaguePaper Team
25 June 2026

Luton Town celebrate winning the 2026 Vertu Trophy

The draws for the Carabao Cup first round and the EFL Trophy group stage have been confirmed as preparations continue for the 2026/27 season.

With the EFL fixture list already released, clubs across the Championship, League One and League Two now know their opponents for the opening round of next season’s Carabao Cup.

Meanwhile, League One and League Two sides have also discovered their EFL Trophy group-stage assignments as the countdown to the new campaign gathers pace.

Here is a full breakdown of the draws, key dates and essential information ahead of next season.

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Carabao Cup

The Carabao Cup will once again kick off the domestic campaign, with round one ties scheduled to take place over the weekend of August 7-9.

Among the standout ties are West Ham United’s meeting with Portsmouth, Wrexham’s trip to Championship promotion rivals Middlesbrough and a London derby between Queens Park Rangers and Millwall.

There is also a Devon derby to look forward to as Plymouth Argyle host Exeter City, while relegated Premier League duo Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley begin their campaigns at home to Port Vale and Notts County respectively.

The opening stage of the competition will feature 70 clubs – the two winners from the preliminary round alongside the other 68 EFL clubs – with the draw regionalised into Northern and Southern sections.

As already confirmed, Tranmere Rovers will host Rochdale on 1 August, before Crawley Town travel to York City on 3 August in the preliminary round, which was required due to the participation of nine Premier League Clubs in European competitions in the 2026/27 season.

The final will take place at Wembley on March 21, 2027.

Grimsby have been fined after fielding an ineligible player in their Carabao Cup victory over Manchester United last week — EUPHORIA: Grimsby Town fans celebrate after witnessing their side’s Carabao Cup victory over Premier League giants Manchester United last season
PICTURE: Nigel French/PA

First round draw

Northern Section

Middlesbrough v Wrexham
Rotherham United v West Bromwich Albion
Barnsley v Wigan Athletic
Mansfield Town v Sheffield United
Stockport County v Doncaster Rovers
Sheffield Wednesday v Bolton Wanderers
Fleetwood Town v Chesterfield
Crewe Alexandra v Accrington Stanley
Stoke City v Oldham Athletic
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Port Vale
Burnley v Notts County
Derby County v Lincoln City
Bradford City v Tranmere Rovers/Rochdale
Burton Albion v Blackburn Rovers
Salford City v Shrewsbury Town
Grimsby Town v Blackpool
Preston North End v Huddersfield Town

Southern Section

Queens Park Rangers v Millwall
Cheltenham Town v Charlton Athletic
Gillingham v Luton Town
Cardiff City v Swindon Town
Bristol City v Walsall
Plymouth Argyle v Exeter City
Bristol Rovers v Peterborough United
Watford v York City/Crawley Town
Cambridge United v Barnet
Norwich City v MK Dons
Colchester United v Southampton
Leyton Orient v Oxford United
Wycombe Wanderers v Stevenage
Bromley v Reading
Swansea City v Birmingham City
West Ham United v Portsmouth
AFC Wimbledon v Newport County
Leicester City v Northampton Town

Round One ties will be played over the weekend of August 7–9.

EFL Trophy

The EFL Trophy group-stage draw has also been completed, with 48 League One and League Two clubs joined by 16 invited Premier League academy sides.

The competition will once again be split into 16 regional groups of four teams – eight in the Northern section and eight in the Southern section – with the academy sides allocated to their respective groups following Thursday’s draw.

All matches in the competition will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+, with the group stage beginning in early September and the final scheduled for April 11, 2027.

Group stage draw

Northern Section

Group A: Sheffield Wednesday, Salford City, Accrington Stanley, Sunderland U21
Group B: Blackpool, Wigan Athletic, Crewe Alexandra, Aston Villa U21
Group C: Bradford City, York City, Rotherham United, Newcastle United U21
Group D: Mansfield Town, Chesterfield, Port Vale, Manchester City U21
Group E: Stockport County, Tranmere Rovers, Shrewsbury Town, Everton U21
Group F: Burton Albion, Notts County, Grimsby Town, Nottingham Forest U21
Group G: Barnsley, Oldham Athletic, Fleetwood Town, Leeds United U21
Group H: Huddersfield Town, Doncaster Rovers, Rochdale, Liverpool U21

Southern Section

Group A: Oxford United, Cheltenham Town, Exeter City, Tottenham Hotspur U21
Group B: Leicester City, Walsall, Stevenage, Fulham U21
Group C: Reading, Bristol Rovers, Wycombe Wanderers, Chelsea U21
Group D: Luton Town, Peterborough United, Colchester United, Ipswich Town U21
Group E: Plymouth Argyle, Swindon Town, Newport County, Crystal Palace U21
Group F: AFC Wimbledon, Leyton Orient, Barnet, Arsenal U21
Group G: Cambridge United, Gillingham, Northampton Town, Brighton & Hove Albion U21
Group H: Bromley, Crawley Town, MK Dons, Brentford U21