The English Football League (EFL) has officially announced that the Carabao Cup will include a preliminary round for the 2025/2026 season, with several fixtures already determined.
This change marks a modification to the tournament’s format, as a qualifying round involving four clubs will now precede the main competition. The introduction of this preliminary round will reduce the number of teams participating in the first full round of the tournament.
Additionally, this adjustment means that Premier League teams competing in European tournaments will now enter the Carabao Cup at the third-round stage.
The preliminary round will see National League promotion winners Barnet and Oldham Athletic face off against the two lowest-placed teams from League Two—Accrington Stanley and Newport County. Barnet will go head-to-head with Newport, while Oldham will take on Accrington.
The EFL has also confirmed that the draw for the Carabao Cup first round will take place on June 26.
