Why the EFL ‘must find a solution’ for 26/27 Carabao Cup due to 9 Prem clubs in Europe again

Why the EFL ‘must find a solution’ for the 26/27 Carabao Cup due to there being 9 Prem clubs in Europe again.

Last season, the EFL introduced a Preliminary Round to the Carabao Cup, featuring National League promoted teams Barnet and Oldham against League Two’s 21st and 22nd-placed teams Accrington and Newport.

Preliminary Round ties were regionalised by the EFL for the 2025/26 season, but for the 2026/27 season, they face an issue, as explained by @DaleJohnsonBBC in a thread of tweets following Crystal Palace’s Conference League final win:

Crystal Palace win the Conference League to qualify for the Europa League, so there’s 9 Premier League teams in Europe again.

It creates a knock-on effect.

The following clubs must play a preliminary round of the Carabao Cup:
Crawley
Rochdale
Tranmere
York

But there’s a twist.

— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonBBC) May 27, 2026

Dale Johnson said: “Crystal Palace win the Conference League to qualify for the Europa League, so there’s 9 Premier League teams in Europe again. It creates a knock-on effect.

The following clubs must play a preliminary round of the Carabao Cup:

Crawley
Rochdale
Tranmere
York

But there’s a twist.

The first round of the Carabao Cup is regionalised.

When this happened last season, the split was simple – as two teams were in the southern half and two in the north.

Barnet & Newport
Accrington & Oldham

This time, there is not an obvious split of the four teams.

The preliminary round draw takes place at the same time as the round one draw, with the games expected to be played a week before.

Operationally, it is not really viable to make the round one draw after the preliminary round has been played.

So the EFL must find a solution.

Tranmere are the most southerly team, so it could be that they play Crawley.

And that means the first game of the season would see Rochdale and York reunited.

But Tranmere’s position close to the west coast does not make it more accessible than Rochdale or York to most.

That means the EFL could hold an open draw to see which of Tranmere, Rochdale and York play Crawley – and thus must feed into the southern section of the draw.

So you could have York v Bristol Rovers in the southern section.

This has to be done as there needs to be 23 teams who qualify for the third round, when the nine European teams enter to make it 32.

So the ties must feed in correctly to create the necessary number of matches.

The first two rounds are regionalised, before the competition goes national in round three.

Round one is being played over a weekend so it could be worse for travel to a game.

The EFL could potentially then switch two teams for the round two draw if necessary.”

Here’s how fans reacted after finding out why the EFL ‘must find a solution’ for the 26/27 Carabao Cup due to 9 Prem clubs in Europe again…

@Dadsourjobtv: Said it before and I say it again. Expel all the teams in European competition to play in Carabao cup. You’ll have a different new winner every year and let’s face it… The winner of that competition goes to Europa Conference League playoffs (not even outright!)

@carpetbeast: Or you could make the European tournaments straight knock-out tournaments. With only the champions playing in the CL, meaning less teams in Europe and alot less games… oh wait, its all about money

@JasonJames_73: The final knock on effect… Spurs will finish 17th again.

@ryanjacko2691: No club in Europe should be playing in the Carabao cup, it’s that simple, reduces games for them and gives the smaller clubs the chance to win a ‘major’ final

@RockinaRobin: Call me a renegade, but have the Champions play in the Champions League, Cup Winners play in European Cup-Winners Cup and 2 UEFA Cup Teams. How it was before money and profit came before fans.

@jonboy_avfc: Maybe hold true to its original name, before sponsorship got in the way: The Football League Cup ie the football league play for it, and the Premier League do not.

@AFCArchie14: It’s time clubs in Europe don’t enter the league cup

@masewba: Premier League teams should not play in the “League” Cup, because they aren’t in the football league, the Prem is run by the F.A, but you wouldn’t get sponsors ot T.V money by not having them in the competition.

@lioninwaiting: These are football league clubs, travel should not be an issue. I have never understood regional rounds in a national competition. Both Rochdale and York travelled to Truro last season.

@edward_w97: “Plymouth Argyle will face York City in the First Round Southern Section” I don’t fear this line, I want this line…

@ArgyleLife1886: York away in the League Cup Southern Section? Yes, please! #pafc

@chipshopsteve: Just send Rochdale to the south. They were the lowest ranked team and it’d impact the least amount of people #ycfc

@Stephen_Mills85: There is a very, very simple solution. Instead of this preliminary round bollocks, you just give one Championship team a bye to the second round. Done.

@JanParker10: It’s getting ridiculous now, surprised that there isnt a competition for the remaining teams to play in Europe

@PhilJBowers: Football never used to be this needlessly complicated.