Carabao Cup draw LIVE: Updates as Leeds, Sheffield United and more learn first-round fate
The draw for the first round of the League Cup takes place ahead of the competition beginning in early August
With the country in the grip of international competition fever over Euro 2024, we may feel like the start of the 2024/25 season is something in the distant future.
However, this morning sees the draw for the first round of the Carabao Cup, with teams from the Championship to League Two learning their opponents at the start of what they hope will be a dream cup run.
The draw takes place at 11.30am, with a regionalised system meaning that teams are drawn against other sides from their respective region – either the 32-team southern section or 38-team northern section.
The majority of Premier League sides enter the competition at the second round, with the seven that are competing in European competition – Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United – entering at the third-round stage.
Follow all the updates below as the ties are drawn from 11.30am onwards:
Leeds face Middlesbrough as Wrexham draw Sheffield United in Carabao Cup first round
Last season’s Carabao Cup semi-finalists Middlesbrough will face Championship rivals Leeds in the first round of this year’s competition.
Michael Carrick’s side were last term’s surprise package after reaching the last four, losing to Chelsea after a first-leg 1-0 home win was followed by a 6-1 thrashing in the return match at Stamford Bridge.
Boro will travel to Elland Road to face a Leeds side who lost to Southampton in the Championship play-off final at Wembley last month.
Sheffield United are back in the first round after being relegated from the Premier League and they will meet Wrexham, who were promoted to League One last campaign, in one of the other standout ties.
Leeds face Middlesbrough as Wrexham draw Sheffield United in Carabao Cup first round
Championship, League One and League Two sides all found out their fate
Every Carabao Cup first-round tie
SOUTH
Cambridge United v Queens Park Rangers
Walsall v Exeter City
Crawley Town v Swindon Town
Oxford United v Peterborough United
Norwich City v Stevenage
Bromley v AFC Wimbledon
Portsmouth v Millwall
Northampton Town v Wycombe Wanderers
Bristol City v Coventry City
Cardiff City v Bristol Rovers
Charlton Athletic v Birmingham City
Watford v MK Dons
Swansea City v Gillingham
Plymouth Argyle v Cheltenham Town
Leyton Orient v Newport County
Colchester United v Reading
NORTH
Salford City v Doncaster Rovers
Rotherham United v Crewe Alexandra
Carlisle United v Stoke City
Leeds United v Middlesbrough
Barrow v Port Vale
Burton Albion v Blackpool
Tranmere Rovers v Accrington Stanley
Fleetwood Town v West Bromwich Albion
Shrewsbury Town v Notts County
Lincoln City v Harrogate Town
Derby County v Chesterfield
Bolton Wanderers v Mansfield Town
Preston North End v Sunderland
Sheffield United v Wrexham
Huddersfield Town v Morecambe
Wigan Athletic v Barnsley
Hull City v Sheffield Wednesday
Stockport County v Blackburn Rovers
Grimsby Town v Bradford City
Carabao Cup first-round draw LIVE
Below is a pick of the rest of the ties.
Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle will host Cheltenham Town.
Sheffield United host Hollywood wannabe’s Wrexham.
Bromley mark the start of their first season in the EFL with a game against AFC Wimbledon.
Several ties pit League Tow sides against Championship teams, including:
- Derby County v Chesterfield
- Plymouth Argyle v Cheltenham Town
- Carlisle United v Stoke City
- Swansea City v Gillingham
- Watford v MK Dons
- Fleetwood Town v West Bromwich Albion
All-Championship ties
Below is every all-Championship tie in the first round.
Portsmouth v Millwall
Bristol City v Coventry City
Hull City v Sheffield Wednesday
Leeds United v Middlesbrough
Preston North End v Sunderland
Carabao Cup first-round draw LIVE
A reminder that all ties will take place the week commencing 12 August, which is also the week that the EFL season kicks off.
The dates for the subsequent rounds and the final have not yet been published by the EFL.
Carabao Cup first-round draw LIVE
So, what are the pick of the first-round ties?
Leeds v Middlesbrough stands out, as does Sheffield United v Wrexham. Preston North End v Sunderland is another all championship tie, as is Portsmouth v Millwall.
Bromley will take on AFC Wimbledon as they celebrate their first ever season in the football league.
Carabao Cup first-round draw LIVE
16. Wigan Athletic v Barnsley
17. Hull City v Sheffield Wednesday
18. Stockport County v Blackburn Rovers
19. Grimsby Town v Bradford City
Carabao Cup first-round draw LIVE
11. Derby County v Chesterfield
12. Bolton v Mansfield Town
13. Preston North End v Sunderland
14. Sheffield United v Wrexham
15. Huddersfield Town v Morecambe
Carabao Cup first-round draw LIVE
6 . Burton Albion v Blackpool
7. Tranmere Rovers v Accrington Stanley
8. Fleetwood v West Brom
9. Shrewsbury Town v Notts County
10. Lincoln v Harrogate Town
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