Carabao Cup first spherical: Full TV schedule – learn how to watch each sport reside
Sky Sports and ITV are set to deliver wall-to-wall Carabao Cup first round coverage this weekend, with West Ham, Burnley, Wolves and Wrexham among the standout sides in action
The Carabao Cup returns this weekend(Image: Getty)
Sky Sports and ITV are poised to deliver football supporters comprehensive coverage this weekend as the Carabao Cup first round takes the spotlight – and there’s certainly no lack of captivating narratives to track.
Running from Thursday through to Sunday, the opening round showcases clubs from the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two, with the fixtures representing the inaugural competitive club football of the new season.
Three of the most discussed teams entering the new campaign are former Premier League outfits West Ham, Burnley and Wolves, all of whom suffered relegation last season and now confront their initial competitive examinations under altered circumstances.
West Ham welcome Portsmouth to the London Stadium on Saturday afternoon in what promises to be an electric atmosphere, as the Hammers begin existence outside the Premier League.
The encounter likely to draw the widest viewership, though, is Friday evening’s showdown between Middlesbrough and Wrexham. The fixture – matching a Championship club against the Hollywood-backed outfit – will be televised live on ITV1 alongside Sky Sports, affording it the broadest reach of any match this weekend.
Beyond that headline clash, all other fixtures will be screened live on Sky Sports+, guaranteeing fans can monitor every single outcome as it unfolds across what pledges to be an action-packed and thrilling weekend of football.
Countdown to Kickoff: The Ultimate 26/27 Sky Sports Bundle
Sky’s Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle includes at least 215 live Premier League clashes across the 2026/27 season with more than 1,400 live games across the EFL and beyond, plus F1, golf and darts.
Every subscription now comes with 135 channels alongside free subscriptions to HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu.
How to watch the new season on Sky Sports
Football supporters can savour all the opening drama and beyond throughout the new campaign with Sky TV’s Essential TV package featuring Sky Sports from £35 monthly with no initial costs. The bundle provides access to Sky Stream, Netflix and Sky Sports, although it’s important to highlight there’s a minimum 24-month commitment on this offer and pricing may alter during the period.
Through this package, supporters can relish access to no fewer than 215 live Premier League fixtures and more than 1,000 EFL clashes – including all the Carabao Cup drama – plus a dedicated F1 channel and every major golf championship as well.
Supporters might also wish to include TNT Sports to the bundle for an additional £25 monthly – locked in for 24 months – with Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League coverage all accessible at the press of a button. Continental football commences almost straight away, with Aston Villa’s UEFA Super Cup clash against PSG on Wednesday, August 12.
TNT Sports will additionally broadcast selected Premier League matches on television and its fresh streaming platform HBO Max, with the network usually securing rights to one encounter per gameweek. Hull vs Manchester United represents the inaugural fixture to be screened next campaign.
Supporters will require a separate TNT Sports membership to view its programming, which costs £30.99 through HBO Max or Prime Video’s TNT Sports channel. Alternative packages are also on offer, including the Ultimate TV bundle starting from just £24 monthly, which features HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+, Hayu and 135 live channels.
Sky Sports can be incorporated into this for an extra £20 per month, with identical 24-month contract terms in place.
(Image: Getty)
Here is the complete fixture list for watching every Carabao Cup first round tie:
Thursday, August 6.
Bristol City vs Millwall – 7:30pm – Sky Sports+.
Friday, August 7.
Wolves vs Port Vale – 7:45pm – Sky Sports+.
Wycombe Wanderers vs Stevenage – 7:45pm – Sky Sports+.
Middlesbrough vs Wrexham – 8pm – ITV1 / Sky Sports Main Event / Sky Sports Football.
Saturday, August 8.
Cambridge United vs Barnet – 1pm – Sky Sports+.
QPR vs Millwall – 2pm – Sky Sports+.
AFC Wimbledon vs Newport County – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Barnsley vs Wigan Athletic – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Bradford City vs Rochdale – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Bristol Rovers vs Peterborough United – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Bromley vs Reading – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Burnley vs Notts County – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Burton Albion vs Blackburn Rovers – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Cardiff City vs Swindon Town – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Crewe Alexandra vs Accrington Stanley – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Derby County vs Lincoln City – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Fleetwood Town vs Chesterfield – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Gillingham vs Luton Town – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Grimsby Town vs Blackpool – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Leicester City vs Northampton Town – 3pm – Sky Sports+ Leyton Orient vs Oxford United – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Norwich City vs MK Dons – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Preston North End vs Huddersfield Town – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Salford City vs Shrewsbury Town – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Bolton Wanderers – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Stockport County vs Doncaster Rovers – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Stoke City vs Oldham Athletic – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Swansea City vs Birmingham City – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Watford vs Crawley Town – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
West Ham vs Portsmouth – 3pm – Sky Sports+.
Cheltenham Town vs Charlton Athletic – 5:30pm – Sky Sports+.
Colchester United vs Southampton – 5:30pm – Sky Sports Main Event / Sky Sports Football.
Rotherham United vs West Brom – 5:30pm – Sky Sports+.
Sunday, August 9.
Mansfield Town vs Sheffield United – 4pm – Sky Sports Main Event / Sky Sports Football.
