The Carabao Cup first round draw has been completed, determining the opening matchups for all 72 English Football League clubs. West Ham United will participate in the first round for the first time in 15 years, marking a significant shift for the Premier League side.
West Ham's Return to Round One
West Ham United are playing in round one of the Carabao Cup for the first time since the 2011-12 season. The Hammers will hope to avoid a repeat of their last appearance at this stage, when Aldershot defeated them 2-1 at Upton Park in what was then called the Carling Cup. This season, West Ham's involvement in the early rounds comes after they failed to qualify for European competition, meaning they enter the tournament at the earliest possible stage.
Draw Structure and Preliminary Round
The draw includes all 72 EFL clubs, with four teams already involved in a preliminary round: Crawley Town, Rochdale, Tranmere Rovers, and York City. Only two of these four will advance to the first round proper. The remaining 68 clubs now know their opponents for the weekend of 7-9 August, which serves as the opening weekend of the competition.
Clubs are split into northern and southern sections for the first two rounds. Teams competing in UEFA competitions will enter the tournament in the third round. The first round ties will take place one week before the start of the Championship, League One, and League Two league campaigns.
Key Dates and Format
The Carabao Cup first round matches are scheduled for the weekend of 7-9 August 2026. The draw sets the stage for the early-season cup action, with lower-league clubs hoping to cause upsets against higher-tier opposition. The competition continues with the second round in late August, followed by the third round in September when Premier League teams involved in European competitions join.
According to the EFL, the preliminary round winners will be confirmed before the first round fixtures are finalized. The full list of first round ties has been released by the league, with fixtures including several all-League One and all-League Two matchups, as well as cross-division clashes.
