The EFL has brought in a first preliminary round to the Carabao Cup for next season for the first time in a decade.
A whopping nine Premier League teams will compete in European competitions next season.
As a result, it means the Carabao Cup needs to be slightly tweaked.
It means for the first time since the 2011/12 campaign, a preliminary round will be played before the first round.
The reason for the return of the preliminary round is to reduce the number of teams competing in the first and second rounds so that all the nine teams competing in Europe can be accommodated in the third round.
According to the EFL, the two preliminary round ties will be regionalised into a north and south clash.
The games will be comprised of Oldham and Barnet, who were promoted from the National League, against Accrington Stanley and Newport County, the two lowest-finishing teams in the EFL to not be relegated last term.
Both fixtures will be regionalised into north and south, with Oldham to play Accrington Stanley in the northern match while Barnet will face Newport County in the southern tie.
The games will be played in the week beginning August 4, while the draw for the first round of the tournament will take place on June 26.
This year’s third round will also be split over two weeks, with ties to take place in the weeks commencing September 15 and 22.
In the 2011/12 season, Crawley Town beat AFC Wimbledon 3-2 in their preliminary round tie.
It was introduced that season because Birmingham City, who had just been relegated, were given a bye into the third round after they won the League Cup the season prior and secured Europa League qualification.
Next season’s Carabao Cup will look a little different in the earliest stageSo too were Fulham, who gained entry into the Europa League via the Fair Play League.
Crawley and AFC Wimbledon’s tie was the first preliminary round in the League Cup since the 2002/03 campaign.
Newcastle will go into this year’s Carabao Cup as the defending champions.
Eddie Howe’s side beat Liverpool 2-1 thanks to goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak, with Federico Chiesa’s stoppage-time strike a consolation for the Reds.
Newcastle’s victory secured the club its first major domestic trophy in 70 years.
List of Carabao Cup champions in last 20 years
2025 – Newcastle
2024 – Liverpool
2023 – Manchester United
2022 – Liverpool
2021 – Manchester City
2020 – Manchester City
2019 – Manchester City
2018 – Manchester City
2017 – Manchester United
2016 – Manchester City
2015 – Chelsea
2014 – Manchester City
2013 – Swansea City
2012 – Liverpool
2011 – Birmingham City
2010 – Manchester United
2009 – Manchester United
2008 – Tottenham
2007 – Chelsea
2006 – Manchester United
2005 – Chelsea
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