EFL Cup adds preliminary round to accommodate nine clubs in Europe

The 2025-26 Carabao Cup volition see a preliminary circular to accommodate the accrued fig of Premier League clubs with European commitments.

Nine top-flight sides are acceptable to enactment successful European competitions adjacent season, prompting the alteration to assistance trim the fig of clubs successful the archetypal 2 rounds.

The preliminary circular volition diagnostic the 2 sides promoted from the National League and the 2 clubs who finished 21st and 22nd successful League Two.

They volition beryllium separated regionally, arsenic is customary with the competition's aboriginal rounds, meaning Accrington Stanley volition look Oldham Athletic portion Barnet instrumentality connected Newport County.

The location sides for those ties volition beryllium drawn astatine the aforesaid clip arsenic the gully for circular one, connected 26 June astatine 16:30 BST.

All EFL clubs - different than the 2 eliminated successful the preliminary circular - volition enactment successful circular 1 of the competition.

The 11 Premier League sides not successful Europe participate astatine the second-round signifier portion the 9 sides to person qualified for Europe - Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace - travel successful astatine circular three.

Palace are waiting for their information successful the Europa League to beryllium rubber-stamped by Uefa, arsenic John Textor's Eagle Football radical has a number shareholding successful Palace and a bulk involvement successful French broadside Lyon, who person besides qualified for adjacent season's European competition.