The Carabao Cup's first round is here, and Man City won't be anywhere near it. The defending champions don't enter until the third round, which means the early weeks belong entirely to the EFL — 92 clubs swinging for upsets before the big boys show up.
First round action kicks off Thursday when Championship side Bristol City host fourth-tier Walsall at Ashton Gate. Friday night then serves up the pick of the round: Middlesbrough vs Wrexham. Boro came agonizingly close to Premier League promotion last season. Wrexham, backed by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, bring a fanbase that extends well beyond Welsh football thanks to their Hollywood ownership. It's a legitimate draw — the kind of match that actually justifies early-round cup football.
What else is worth watching in Round 1
Friday also has Wycombe vs Stevenage and Wolves vs Port Vale. Across the weekend, fourth-tier Rotherham take on Championship side West Brom — exactly the kind of upset scenario the first round exists for. The round closes Monday with a Devon Derby between Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City, which will be fiercely contested regardless of what's at stake nationally.
Technically the competition already started. A preliminary round last weekend — required to manage fixture congestion caused by nine clubs in European competition — saw Crawley beat York 2-0 and Rochdale edge past Tranmere on penalties. Unglamorous, but necessary housekeeping.
For the first two rounds, clubs are split into Northern and Southern sections to cut travel burdens for lower-league sides. It's a sensible concession to the realities of a 92-club draw.
How to watch the Carabao Cup 2026/27 — by country
- UK: Up to 10 matches per round are free on ITV and ITVX, including the Middlesbrough vs Wrexham tie and the final. Sky Sports carries every single fixture across Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football, and Sky Sports+. Plans from £35/month (£22 for existing Sky subscribers), or grab Now Sports from £14.99/day or £34.99/month.
- US: Select matches stream free on CBS Sports Golazo. Full coverage on Paramount+, with the Essential plan at $8.99/month or $89.99/year, and the Premium tier at $13.99/month or $139.99/year. A limited Walmart Plus deal currently gets you 30 days for $1.
- Canada: DAZN holds the rights. Their soccer package starts at CA$24.99/month.
- Australia: beIN Sports has it. Subscriptions cost AU$15.99/month or AU$159.99/year (both include a 7-day free trial), or AU$14.99/month as a Prime Video Channels add-on. Prices rise to AU$16.99/month and AU$169.99/year from September 1.
- New Zealand: Also beIN Sports, at NZ$14.99/month or AU$149.99/year, with a 7-day free trial included.
Traveling outside your home country? A VPN like NordVPN will let you access your usual domestic stream — provided it doesn't breach any platform terms.
Man City's absence makes the early rounds genuinely unpredictable. That unpredictability cuts both ways for anyone tracking cup outright markets — the path to the final is considerably clearer for sides already in the draw.
