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New manager - Darrell Clarke

The EFL hasn’t yet confirmed the format for next season’s League Cup.

The introduction of a four team preliminary round last season was a very late decision. They might well stick with it but they do have other options to play around with exemptions. Also the north/south dilemma for round 1 can be overcome by using an ‘either/or’ situation in that particular draw, assuming that draw is made right after the preliminary round draw rather than waiting until the preliminary round ties have been played.

If pre-season follows recent years where we’ve only been allowed to watch one or two friendlies, I’d quite welcome an early start in the League Cup!
 
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O4anotherplayoff said:
The EFL hasn’t yet confirmed the format for next season’s League Cup.

The introduction of a four team preliminary round last season was a very late decision. They might well stick with it but they do have other options to play around with exemptions. Also the north/south dilemma for round 1 can be overcome by using an ‘either/or’ situation in that particular draw, assuming that draw is made right after the preliminary round draw rather than waiting until the preliminary round ties have been played.

If pre-season follows recent years where we’ve only been allowed to watch one or two friendlies, I’d quite welcome an early start in the League Cup!
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Thought I saw the dates and they are days apart so draw already made. In fact think round one is before the league kick off, maybe hallucinating
 
dollar'sbloke said:
  • Carabao Cup - Round One: 7–9 August 2026
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The only logical get out is take the middle club of the round one qualified clubs, geographically. Say Walsall, no idea where the line is, they play winner of us and Crawley. The subsequent game goes into North or south depending who comes through to it.
That would cause least inconvenience, but they'll put us in south with Bromley and Exeter to come, in the unlikely event!!
As an aside in three North and south, we weren't far off south at times the Vale played in it. Judging by conference the strength has gone south nearer tidal Severn
 
The EFL confirmed the date for round 1 weeks ago but, as I said, they haven’t yet announced the format of next season's competition. And even though they’ve announced the date of round 1, they haven’t yet announced the existence of a preliminary round, never mind the date for that.

Of course, the ‘9 clubs in Europe’ situation only came to fruition last night but the EFL has had plenty of time to prepare for it so will presumably confirm the format very soon.
 
Finally caught up properly with this thread and listened to Clarke’s Radio Merseyside interview, which was broadly encouraging.

Read elsewhere that Darrell was getting married this weekend and guess a honeymoon after that, so there may be a hiatus before the recruitment starts. It also sounded like he may take some time sorting out backroom staff and recruitment will be his initial priority.
 
O4anotherplayoff said:
The EFL hasn’t yet confirmed the format for next season’s League Cup.
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They have now. A four team preliminary round like last year but it’ll be drawn at random. Draw is 4pm today. Date of ties TBA. Winners of the tie involving Crawley will be in the southern section of the round 1 draw.

www.efl.com

Carabao Cup 2026/27 Preliminary Round draw

The Official home of the English Football League
www.efl.com www.efl.com
 
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O4anotherplayoff said:
Winners of the tie involving Crawley will be in the southern section of the round 1 draw.
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That’s not quite how I read it, O4AP. The northernmost winner goes in the northern section and the southernmost in the southern one. For example, if York beat Crawley and we beat Oldham, we’ll be in the southern group.

Provided we don’t draw Crawley and both of us win, we will be in the northern group. If we draw and beat Crawley, we will be in the southern group.

Of course, all this will be irrelevant if we don’t actually win the tie.
 
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Decent draw. Need to keep Mani quiet though!

Incidentally BBTC, the EFL has confirmed that “the winner of the Preliminary Round tie between York City v Crawley Town will proceed to the Southern section of the Round One draw, with the winner of Tranmere Rovers v Rochdale proceeding into the Northern section”. Regardless of the fact that York are the most northerly club in the preliminary round.

Round 1 will be drawn on fixture release day, June 25.

www.efl.com

Carabao Cup 2026/27 Preliminary Round draw

The Official home of the English Football League
www.efl.com www.efl.com
 
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O4anotherplayoff said:
Decent draw. Need to keep Mani quiet though!

Incidentally BBTC, the EFL has confirmed that “the winner of the Preliminary Round tie between York City v Crawley Town will proceed to the Southern section of the Round One draw, with the winner of Tranmere Rovers v Rochdale proceeding into the Northern section”. Regardless of the fact that York are the most northerly club in the preliminary round.

Round 1 will be drawn on fixture release day, June 25.

www.efl.com

Carabao Cup 2026/27 Preliminary Round draw

The Official home of the English Football League
www.efl.com www.efl.com
Click to expand...
That's what you said, O4AP - but not what the original announcement said. However, in this case I'm happy to be misled!

Gutted for York if they win and get drawn away to Plymouth!
 
bring back the cowshed! said:
That's what you said, O4AP - but not what the original announcement said. However, in this case I'm happy to be misled!

Gutted for York if they win and get drawn away to Plymouth!
Click to expand...
This is what the original announcement said:
“The winner of the Preliminary Round tie involving the team based furthest south will proceed to the Southern section of the Round One draw, with the winner of the other tie involving two northern-based clubs proceeding into the Northern section”.

Anyhoo….. York are minted these days and, after years in non league, would probably enjoy a trip to Plymouth anyway. ;)
 
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