Carabao Cup First Round Preview
The Carabao Cup returns to kick off the 2026–27 domestic season, offering clubs an early opportunity to begin their competitive campaign with knockout football. Championship, League One and League Two sides are joined by the two winners from the Preliminary Round, with every team aiming to make a positive start before the league season gets underway.
The opening round regularly delivers memorable upsets, closely contested ties and local rivalries. Managers often use the competition to assess new signings, rotate their squads and hand valuable minutes to emerging academy players, while supporters get an early indication of how their teams are shaping up for the season ahead.
Read on for the key fixtures, what to expect across the opening weekend, and the essential information ahead of the first round.
When Is The Carabao Cup First Round?
The 2026–27 Carabao Cup First Round takes place from the 6–9 August 2026, marking the start of the new domestic season before the Championship, League One and League Two campaigns begin the following weekend. This is a change from previous seasons, when the opening round was traditionally played during midweek.
Round One features 70 clubs: the 68 EFL clubs not exempt from this stage, plus the two winners of the Preliminary Round.
The draw is regionalised into Northern and Southern sections to reduce travel. Every tie is played as a single-leg knockout, with extra time and penalties used if required to determine a winner on the day.
What Are The Fixtures For The Carabao Cup First Round?
The draw is split into Northern and Southern sections to minimise travel, producing a variety of intriguing ties between Championship, League One and League Two clubs, alongside the Preliminary Round winners.
The Carabao Cup First Round fixtures are:
Northern Section
- 7 August 2026 — Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Port Vale
- 7 August 2026 — Middlesbrough vs Wrexham
- 8 August 2026 — Barnsley vs Wigan Athletic
- 8 August 2026 — Bradford City vs Rochdale
- 8 August 2026 — Burnley vs Notts County
- 8 August 2026 — Burton Albion vs Blackburn Rovers
- 8 August 2026 — Crewe Alexandra vs Accrington Stanley
- 8 August 2026 — Derby County vs Lincoln City
- 8 August 2026 — Fleetwood Town vs Chesterfield
- 8 August 2026 — Grimsby Town vs Blackpool
- 8 August 2026 — Preston North End vs Huddersfield Town
- 8 August 2026 — Salford City vs Shrewsbury Town
- 8 August 2026 — Sheffield Wednesday vs Bolton Wanderers
- 8 August 2026 — Stockport County vs Doncaster Rovers
- 8 August 2026 — Stoke City vs Oldham Athletic
- 8 August 2026 — Rotherham United vs West Bromwich Albion
- 9 August 2026 — Mansfield Town vs Sheffield United
Southern Section
- 6 August 2026 — Bristol City vs Walsall
- 7 August 2026 — Wycombe Wanderers vs Stevenage
- 8 August 2026 — Cambridge United vs Barnet
- 8 August 2026 — Queens Park Rangers vs Millwall
- 8 August 2026 — AFC Wimbledon vs Newport County
- 8 August 2026 — Bristol Rovers vs Peterborough United
- 8 August 2026 — Bromley vs Reading
- 8 August 2026 — Cardiff City vs Swindon Town
- 8 August 2026 — Gillingham vs Luton Town
- 8 August 2026 — Leicester City vs Northampton Town
- 8 August 2026 — Leyton Orient vs Oxford United
- 8 August 2026 — Norwich City vs Milton Keynes Dons
- 8 August 2026 — Swansea City vs Birmingham City
- 8 August 2026 — Watford vs Crawley Town
- 8 August 2026 — West Ham United vs Portsmouth
- 8 August 2026 — Cheltenham Town vs Charlton Athletic
- 8 August 2026 — Colchester United vs Southampton
- 10 August 2026 — Plymouth Argyle vs Exeter City
As always, the opening round offers plenty of opportunities for lower-division clubs to upset higher-ranked opposition. Managers must balance the desire to progress with the need to manage player fitness ahead of the league campaign, making team selection an important factor throughout the weekend.
What Are The Results For The Carabao Cup First Round?
Each tie produces a winner who advances to the Second Round, whether the result is decided in normal time, after extra time or via a penalty shootout.
As the matches are played across the opening weekend, results are updated by the EFL and individual clubs, providing supporters with the latest scores, goalscorers and notable moments from every fixture. Once all ties are complete, attention turns to the Second Round draw and the clubs that will join the competition at that stage.
Bet on the Carabao Cup First Round at Bet442
Bet442 offers a wide selection of betting markets across every fixture, including match results, goalscorer markets, over/under goals and correct score options. Live betting markets are also available throughout many matches, allowing customers to react as the action unfolds.
Bet442 provides access to a range of markets throughout the opening weekend. Before placing a bet, it is worth considering recent form, confirmed team news and tactical changes that could influence the outcome of each tie.
The site also provides responsible gambling tools, including deposit limits, session reminders and the option to take a break from betting. Bet442 is licenced and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring a safe and secure betting experience.
Support information is available for anyone who may need it. Betting should always remain a form of entertainment for customers aged 18 and over, and you should only ever stake amounts you can afford to lose.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.