If you’ve been checking when the next Carabao Cup draw happens, you’re not alone — football fans across the UK have learned to mark late June in their calendars, when the EFL’s Fixture Release Day brings all 92 clubs one step closer to the season proper. Thursday, 25 June 2026 saw the Carabao Cup’s first-round draw unfold live on Sky Sports News, and the fixtures that emerged set the tone for what promises to be another wide-open contest.

Organising body: English Football League (EFL) · Number of clubs: 92 (top four tiers) · Current sponsor: Carabao Energy Drink · Round One draw date (2026/27): 25 June 2026 · Broadcaster: Sky Sports (live on Sky Sports News)

Key facts are organised by date below for quick reference.

When is the EFL draw today?

The 2026/27 Carabao Cup Round One draw took place on Thursday, 25 June 2026, as part of the EFL’s annual Fixture Release Day. Sky Sports confirmed the draw began at 4:30pm UK time and was broadcast live on Sky Sports News, with Grimsby Town’s club site identifying presenter Dharmesh Sheth as the host for the broadcast.

Fixture Release Day has become a fixed date in the English football calendar — clubs simultaneously reveal their league fixtures and the first-round cup pairings, giving fans their first concrete look at what August holds.

Scheduled draw dates for the 2026/27 season follow a familiar pattern: the preliminary round draw occurred on 3 June 2026, with the first-round draw falling roughly three weeks later on 25 June. To confirm today’s draw time, check Sky Sports News or the official EFL competition hub at EFL.com.

Where can I watch the EFL draw live?

The draw was shown live on Sky Sports News, with the EFL’s own YouTube channel also carrying the broadcast. According to the governing body’s video coverage, the Round One draw was broadcast live as part of Fixture Release Day coverage.

AFC Wimbledon confirmed the draw would air live on Sky Sports News at 4:30pm on Thursday, 25 June, describing it as part of the EFL’s Fixture Release Day programme. Charlton Athletic’s club notice echoed the same details, adding that the draw would be split into northern and southern sections.

For live streaming options, Sky Sports subscribers can watch via the Sky Go app or the Sky Sports website. Full draw details and confirmed fixtures appear on EFL.com shortly after the broadcast concludes.

What are the latest EFL draw results?

The Round One draw produced several notable pairings, with Sky Sports reporting that Leicester were drawn at home to Portsmouth and West Ham received a home tie against Northampton Town. Both clubs had recently been relegated from the Premier League and entered Round One as some of the higher-profile names in the draw.

Burnley and Wolves also received home draws after their own relegations, according to Sky Sports’ coverage. The draw was split into northern and southern sections, meaning clubs were drawn against opponents from their own geographic region — a structure confirmed by Charlton Athletic’s official notice.

The Round One draw involved 70 teams in total: the two preliminary-round winners plus 68 EFL clubs from the Championship, League One, and League Two. The preliminary round featured two ties — Tranmere versus Rochdale and York versus Crawley — with those winners advancing to join the main draw.

All first-round matches were scheduled for the weekend of 7-9 August 2026, with Sky Sports confirming that every fixture would be shown live on their channels.

When is the Carabao Cup quarter-final draw?

The quarter-final draw is scheduled for later in the 2026/27 season, with the specific date confirmed by the EFL after earlier rounds conclude. Unlike the Round One draw with its fixed June timing, later-round draws are announced as the competition progresses.

The full Carabao Cup schedule runs from the preliminary round in early August through to the Final at Wembley Stadium, London. Based on recent seasons, the Final typically takes place in February or March, placing the quarter-final draw in the late autumn or early winter months.

To follow the draw in real time, Sky Sports News provides live coverage of major draws throughout the season, with EFL.com publishing confirmed fixtures shortly after each event concludes.

For clubs like Leicester, West Ham, Burnley, and Wolves entering the competition after Premier League relegations, the Carabao Cup represents an early opportunity to rebuild momentum — and for fans, the draw on 25 June 2026 set the stage for what looks like another compelling edition of English football’s oldest knockout competition outside the top flight.