Relegated West Ham drawn against Portsmouth in Carabao Cup first-round opener

West Ham will open their Carabao Cup campaign against Portsmouth in the competition’s first-round draw, held on Thursday, with ties across the northern and southern sections scheduled for the weekend of 7-9 August to launch the 2026-27 English football season.

The meeting carries a nostalgic edge: both clubs were Premier League fixtures not long ago, but West Ham’s relegation last season has returned them to the earlier rounds of the League Cup for the first time in years. Portsmouth, who have bounced between the Championship and League One in recent seasons, provide a fitting opponent for a tie that underlines how far both sides have fallen from the top flight.

Wolves and Burnley, the two other clubs relegated from the Premier League alongside West Ham, also feature in the draw. Wolves host Port Vale and Burnley welcome Notts County, while Millwall’s trip to QPR stands out as another eye-catching southern-section fixture.

In the north, Sheffield United travel to Mansfield — a rematch loaded with significance after the Stags’ surprise FA Cup victory over the Blades at Bramall Lane in January. Derby host Lincoln at Pride Park in what will be Lincoln’s first season back in the second tier in 65 years, and Wrexham face a stern test against Championship promotion rivals Middlesbrough.

Sheffield Wednesday, League Cup winners in 1991 but relegated to League One last season, host newly promoted Bolton, while Southampton play at Colchester and Norwich welcome MK Dons.

A Devon derby awaits in the southern section as Plymouth Argyle host Exeter City. York City, returning to the EFL for the first time in a decade, could face Watford in the first round proper — but must first get past Crawley in a preliminary-round tie. Similarly, Rochdale need to overcome Tranmere before a potential first-round meeting with Bradford.

The full draw spans 35 first-round ties across the northern and southern sections, with several preliminary-round results still to determine the final matchups.