THE CARABAO CUP 2022/23 campaign begins this week with the first round draw taking place TODAY.
Liverpool won the competition last season after a thrilling penalty shootout triumph over Chelsea in the final.
Premier League sides who are not competing in Europe go into the tournament in the second round, and the remaining Prem teams enter at the third round.
- Start time: from 2.30pm
- TV/live stream: Sky Sports News
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Fleetwood Town vs Wigan Athletic
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Port Vale vs Rotherham United
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Shrewsbury Town vs Carlisle United
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Huddersfield Town vs Preston North End
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Doncaster Rovers vs Lincoln City
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Rochdale vs Burton Albion
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Bradford City vs Hull City
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Middlesbrough vs Barnsley
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Accrington Stanley vs Tranmere Rovers
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Mansfield Town vs Derby County
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Grimsby vs Crewe
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Sheffield Wednesday vs Sunderland
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West Brom vs Sheffield United
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Here we go!
It's the Northern section up first.
Michael Dawson and Clinton Morrison will be doing the honours.
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It's nearly time!
Get ready to get planning for your club's first round clash everyone!
The draw is now just moments away.
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Dates to mark down
Your Carabao Cup first round clashes will take place on August 9-10.
Make sure you've got the evening off work to go and follow your team!
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Balls to look out for
Norwich City make a return to round one, following their Premier League relegation.
The Canaries will appear in the Southern section, and are ball No22.
Meanwhile, Stockport and Grimsby enter the competition after earning promotion to the EFL from the National League.
Both are in the Northern section, with Stockport ball No31 and Grimsby No14.
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Throwing it back
Liverpool won't be in this afternoon's draw, but are reigning Carabao Cup champions.
The Reds narrowly overcame Chelsea 11-10 on penalties in February's final following a tense 0-0 draw.
Every outfield player scored from 12 yards for both teams, leaving it up to the goalkeepers.
Caoimhin Kelleher bagged for the Reds, only for Kepa Arrizabalaga to memorably whack his spot kick over the bar.
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More ball numbers!
And here is the Southern section:
- 1 AFC Wimbledon
- 2 Birmingham City
- 3 Bristol City
- 4 Bristol Rovers
- 5 Cambridge United
- 6 Cardiff City
- 7 Charlton Athletic
- 8 Cheltenham Town
- 9 Colchester United
- 10 Coventry City
- 11 Crawley Town
- 12 Exeter City
- 13 Forest Green Rovers
- 14 Gillingham
- 15 Ipswich Town
- 16 Leyton Orient
- 17 Luton Town
- 18 Millwall
- 19 Milton Keynes Dons
- 20 Northampton Town
- 21 Newport County
- 22 Norwich City
- 23 Oxford United
- 24 Peterborough United
- 25 Plymouth Argyle
- 26 Portsmouth
- 27 Queens Park Rangers
- 28 Reading
- 29 Stevenage
- 30 Sutton United
- 31 Swansea City
- 32 Swindon Town
- 33 Walsall
- 34 Wycombe Wanderers
Here are your ball numbers!
We'll start with the Northern section:
- Accrington Stanley
- Barnsley
- Barrow
- Blackburn Rovers
- Blackpool
- Bolton Wanderers
- Bradford City
- Burton Albion
- Carlisle United
- Crewe Alexandra
- Derby County
- Doncaster Rovers
- Fleetwood Town
- Grimsby Town
- Harrogate Town
- Hartlepool United
- Huddersfield Town
- Hull City
- Lincoln City
- Mansfield Town
- Middlesbrough
- Morecambe
- Port Vale
- Preston North End
- Rochdale
- Rotherham United
- Salford City
- Sheffield United
- Sheffield Wednesday
- Shrewsbury Town
- Stockport County
- Stoke City
- Sunderland
- Tranmere Rovers
- West Bromwich Albion
- Wigan Athletic
First round draw format
So 70 teams have been separated into a Northern section and Southern section.
Almost all EFL sides feature, with just Watford and Burnley receiving byes to round two.
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It's draw time!
Buckle in everyone!
If this morning's EFL fixture release wasn't exciting enough for you, we've got the Carabao Cup first round draw to keep your pulses racing!
Keep it here for all the build-up, before we get going at 2:30pm.
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