The Carabao Cup is set to signal the beginning of a long-awaited new season as 70 teams battle it out in the first round. For the first time this year, in an enforced change due to scheduling, the first four rounds will take place in September.
The first-round games involving League One and Two clubs will take place on September 5. However, if a fixture involves a Championship club, it will be rearranged for a later date due to the international break.
Another rule change ahead of the season, to help ease the tight scheduling throughout the season, is the scrapping of the second leg in the semi-final ties.
Carabao Cup Draw
North Section Draw
Tranmere Rovers v Harrogate Town
Crewe Alexandra v Lincoln City
Walsall v Sheffield Wednesday
Rochdale v Huddersfield Town
Preston North End v Mansfield Town
Bolton Wanderers v Bradford City
Blackburn Rovers v Doncaster Rovers
Stoke City v Blackpool
Fleetwood Town v Wigan Athletic
Grimsby Town v Morecambe
Middlesborough v Shrewsbury
Derby County v Barrow
Scunthorpe United v Port Vale
Sunderland v Hull City
Burton Albion v Accrington Stanley
Salford City v Rotherham United
Barnsley v Nottingham Forrest
Oldham Athletic v Carlise United
South Section Draw
Bristol City v Exeter City
Plymouth Argyle v Queens Park Rangers
Swindon Town v Charlton Athletic
Forest Green Rovers v Leyton Orient
MK Dons v Coventry City
Crawley Town v Millwall
Stevenage v Portsmouth
Peterborough United v Cheltenham Town
Brentford v Wycombe Wanderers
Northampton Town v Cardiff City
Luton Town v Norwich City
Birmingham City v Cambridge United
Newport County vs Swansea City
Oxford United v AFC Wimbledon
Reading v Colchester United
Gillingham v Southend United
Ipswich Town v Bristol Rovers
Carabao Cup – Stand Out Games
With the draw complete, we can begin to take a look at some interesting games with a couple games, in particular, standing out. Those games, of course, Sunderland v Hull City and Newport County v Swansea City, a Welsh derby. It will certainly be a Carabao Cup competition to keep an eye on this season.
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