EFL reveal 26/27 Carabao Cup First Round ball numbers and teams in North and South sections

The EFL reveal 26/27 Carabao Cup First Round ball numbers and teams who have been placed in the North and South sections.

As per their website, they wrote: “The Carabao Cup Round One Draw will take place live on Sky Sports News at 4:30pm on Thursday, 25 June, as part of the EFL’s Fixture Release Day.

“Presented by Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth, former Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United midfielder Kevin Nolan will join former Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest defender, Luke Chambers in picking out the balls.

“Round One 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 confirmed here, 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 competition in the 2026/27 season.

“Round One of the Carabao Cup will kick off the new season, with ties set to be played over the weekend of 7-9 August.”

🔢 Here are the ball numbers for Thursday’s draw 👇 pic.twitter.com/tO5YXFzYlJ

— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) June 23, 2026

Carabao Cup 2026/27 Round Dates

The round dates for the Carabao Cup have been confirmed as the following:

Round One: Weekend of 7-9 August 2026
Round Two: w/c 24 August 2026
Round Three: w/c 7 September and w/c 14 September 2026
Round Four: w/c 26 October 2026
Round Five: w/c 14 December 2026
Semi-Final First Leg: w/c 11 January 2027
Semi-Final Second Leg: w/c 1 February 2027
Final: Sunday 21 March 2027

Carabao Cup Northern Section ball numbers

1 Accrington Stanley
2 Barnsley
3 Blackburn Rovers
4 Blackpool
5 Bolton Wanderers
6 Bradford City
7 Burnley
8 Burton Albion
9 Chesterfield
10 Crewe Alexandra
11 Derby County
12 Doncaster Rovers
13 Fleetwood Town
14 Grimsby Town
15 Huddersfield Town
16 Lincoln City
17 Mansfield Town
18 Middlesbrough
19 Notts County
20 Oldham Athletic
21 Port Vale
22 Preston North End
23 Rotherham United
24 Salford City
25 Sheffield United
26 Sheffield Wednesday
27 Shrewsbury Town
28 Stockport County
29 Stoke City
30 West Bromwich Albion
31 Wigan Athletic
32 Wolverhampton Wanderers
33 Wrexham
34 Tranmere Rovers/Rochdale

Carabao Cup Northern Section ball numbers

1 AFC Wimbledon
2 Barnet
3 Birmingham City
4 Bristol City
5 Bristol Rovers
6 Bromley
7 Cambridge United
8 Cardiff City
9 Charlton Athletic
10 Cheltenham Town
11 Colchester United
12 Exeter City
13 Gillingham
14 Leicester City
15 Leyton Orient
16 Luton Town
17 Millwall
18 Milton Keynes Dons
19 Newport County
20 Northampton Town
21 Norwich City
22 Oxford United
23 Peterborough United
24 Plymouth Argyle
25 Portsmouth
26 Queens Park Rangers
27 Reading
28 Southampton
29 Stevenage
30 Swansea City
31 Swindon Town
32 Walsall
33 Watford
34 West Ham United
35 Wycombe Wanderers
36 York City / Crawley Town

First part of EFL Trophy 2026/27 group stage draw complete and list of B Teams announced

Here’s how fans reacted after the EFL reveal the 26/27 Carabao Cup First Round ball numbers and teams in North and South sections…

@tommllr: Can you explain how the north-south split was determined? For instance, Walsall’s ground is about 6 miles to the north of WBA’s, yet Walsall are in the south draw and WBA in the north draw

@harryxstuart: Aside from the obvious, Vale or Stoke would be a right laugh. Or Stanley. #wwfc

@Nicola_WWFC_: Did VAR offside lines determine who is North and who is South? 🤦🏼‍♀️

@BradleyMiddle17: Ffs south #saddlers

@wfcliam_: Walsall in the south but wba in the north is certainly interesting

@BurkeSzn_: Baffles me that we’re in South but West Brom are north #saddlers

@BurkeSzn_: Could be worse, look at York

@APCAFC: Fingers crossed for either Barnet, Bromley, Wimbledon or York City away in Thursday’s draw. They are the only grounds I’ve not seen #CAFC at. I’m guessing York would be the easiest chance of a ticket though.

@rickard_louie: QPR away, Newport Home #barnetfc

@Hackett01: Now knowing the draw bar U21s – Hoping that we get AFC Wimbledon away (relatively close to me + good bar in main stand). Orient at Home and the return of Big Phil!!!!! #barnetfc

@da33a7: Watford Away! #barnetfc

@willscaife14: Some potential belting away days in there #ycfc

@Jerry566f:
Football fans: “I can’t wait for the season to start.”
Also football fans: immediately spending hours analysing a first-round Carabao Cup draw 😂

@ElliotLane11: A goal for the first time in the cup this decade would be nice #bristolrovers

@LukeDUTG: Am I right in thinking Tommy Nichols against premier league Brighton was the last one? 😂

@ElliotLane11: Correct 😂

@__IrufcI__: Promise you no one cares now fuck off posting until it’s an update to what’s going on with this club #rufc

@RHYSHG2: It would be quite the ‘Southern’ draw if York got through the preliminary round and we drew them away. 550 mile-ish round trip.

@GazzaWozza: Got to get a squad together first! #rufc

@craighawley: Not interested in what ball number we are ! However I am Interested in if we will have a head coach and enough players to fulfill this fixture!!! #rufc

@LP15393: Ball number 5 will play ball number 4. A man can dream. Has to happen at some point 😂😂 #bristolrovers

@RHYSHG2: It would be quite the ‘Southern’ draw if York got through the preliminary round and we drew them away. 550 mile-ish round trip. #pompey

@NPMetcalfe: Ball 29 for Stevenage in Thursday’s draw. Few grounds I’ve not been to in that southern draw so they would be nice away. York away would be especially nice though. Love that city.