Carabao Cup 2025/26 First Round Draw: Championship, League One, and League Two Teams Matched Up

Championship sides Birmingham and Sheffield United will face off in the first round of the 2025/26 Carabao Cup, with all 35 ties set to be broadcast live on Sky Sports.

The match between Birmingham and Sheffield United will take place at St Andrew's in the northern section. In the southern section, League Two Bromley will host Championship Ipswich, who were relegated from the Premier League last season.

The Carabao Cup will maintain its regional format until the third round, with the 11 Premier League teams not involved in European competitions entering in the second round. The nine Premier League teams in Europe, including Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea, will join in the third round.

This season's Carabao Cup will feature a preliminary round to accommodate the increased number of top-flight teams in Europe. Barnet will host Newport in the southern section, while Oldham will visit Accrington in the northern section.

The preliminary round matches are scheduled for the week commencing August 4, with the first-round ties set to take place the following week commencing August 11.

For the full draw of Carabao Cup Round One, the southern section will see matchups such as Coventry vs Luton, Watford vs Norwich, and Portsmouth vs Reading. In the northern section, teams like Barrow vs Preston, Stoke vs Walsall, and Blackburn vs Bradford will compete.

The Carabao Cup schedule for the 2025/26 season includes rounds up to the final on Sunday, March 22, 2026.

According to the source: Sky Sports.