Watch Carabao Cup 2026/27 live streams
Following a two-game preliminary round, the Carabao Cup 2026/27 kicks off in earnest this long weekend, with a blockbuster tie between Middlesbrough and Wrexham – which is free-to-air on ITVX in the UK – headlining a 35-game slate of first-round fixtures.
A 95th-minute gut-punch denied Boro promotion to the Premier League, and Kim Hellberg has since had to part ways with Everton-bound star man Hayden Hackney. The Red Dragons, meanwhile, have had a quiet summer by their standards after narrowly missing out on a place in the playoffs. They meet on Friday evening.
Elsewhere, Paul Mullin, the erstwhile favourite of Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, could make his Rotherham debut against West Brom on Saturday.
There are five all-Championship ties, including QPR's London derby with Millwall, and West Ham's meeting with Portsmouth, plus eight ties with giant-killing potential. The latter include League Two side Port Vale's encounter with Wolves, who have re-signed Raul Jimenez, plus Kieran Trippier, despite being relegated from the Premier League.
Tonda Eckert has inexplicably managed to cling onto his job despite being unmasked as the architect of Southampton's spying operations, a scandal that hasn't just wrecked the club's image, but got them kicked out of last season's playoffs and landed them a four-point deduction for the new season too. They can expect a lively reception at fourth-tier Colchester United.
And last but not least, arch-rivals Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City will close proceedings with the Devon Derby on Monday night.
Follow our guide below for where to watch Carabao Cup 2026/27 live streams from anywhere with a VPN. We've also listed the first round fixtures and schedule below.
Carabao Cup 2026/27 first round |
Thu, 6 Aug – Mon, 10 Aug |
Select free streams |
ITVX (UK) / CBS Sports Golazo (US) |
WATCH ANYWHERE |
How can I watch Carabao Cup 2026/27 for free?
Lucky viewers in the UK can watch one game from each round of the 2026/27 Carabao Cup for free on ITV1, with live streaming available via ITVX.
For the first round, the fixture that's been selected for free-to-air broadcast is Middlesbrough vs Wrexham.
In the US, select games will be available on free streaming service CBS Sports Golazo. Bristol City vs Walsall and Wolves vs Port Vale are the first-round fixtures picked.
If you're from the UK but you're currently abroad, you can simply use a VPN to tap into that free Carabao Cup coverage. More details below...
Watch Carabao Cup 2026/27 live streams from anywhere
You won't be able to watch your regular Carabao Cup 2026/27 live streams while travelling abroad. The platform will detect that you're in a foreign country and block you.
You can use a VPN (virtual private network) to get around this, though. It's a straightforward piece of software that sets your device to appear as if it's in a different country, allowing you to tune in from anywhere in the world.
We rate NordVPN as one of the best VPN for streaming sports. It offers a generous 30-day guarantee for all your money back if you're not happy with the service.
How to watch Carabao Cup 2026/27 in the US
Paramount+ ($8.99/month) is showing every Carabao Cup 2026/27 fixture in the US. However, you can get the plan with a Walmart Plus 30-day trial for $1.
As we've mentioned above, select matches will be available on free service CBS Sports Golazo. You just need to sign up for an account.
Outside the US right now? Use NordVPN to access your preferred coverage of the soccer.
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Watch Carabao Cup 2026/27 live streams in the UK
Every Carabao Cup 2026/27 game is being shown on Sky Sports in the UK, across its Main Event, Football and Sky Sports+ channels.
Need the Sky Sports lowdown before you invest? Check out our dedicated guide to all things Sky.
However, one game from each round – including the final and a leg of each semi-final – will be free-to-air on ITV1 and ITVX.
Outside the UK during a round of fixtures? Use NordVPN to watch the Carabao Cup as if you were back at home.
Watch Carabao Cup 2026/27 live streams in Australia
beIN Sports shows every Carabao Cup 2026/27 fixture in Australia, with a subscription starting at AU$16.99/month after a 7-day FREE trial.
If you're currently spending time in Australia from the UK, use a good VPN, as detailed above, to tap into your free EFL Cup coverage.
Carabao Cup 2026/27 schedule
Click to see the first round schedule▼
(All times BST)
Thursday, 6 August
7.45pm – Bristol City vs Walsall
Friday, 7 August
7.45pm – Wolves vs Port Vale
7.45pm – Wycombe Wanderers vs Stevenage
8pm – Middlesbrough vs Wrexham
Saturday, 8 August
1pm – Cambridge Utd vs Barnet
2pm – QPR vs Millwall
3pm – AFC Wimbledon vs Newport County
3pm – Barnsley vs Wigan Athletic
3pm – Bradford City vs Rochdale
3pm – Bristol Rovers vs Peterborough Utd
3pm – Bromley vs Reading
3pm – Wycombe Wanderers vs Stevenage
3pm – Burnley vs Notts County
3pm – Burton Albion vs Blackburn Rovers
3pm – Cardiff City vs Swindon Town
3pm – Crewe Alexandra vs Accrington Stanley
3pm – Derby County vs Lincoln City
3pm – Fleetwood Town vs Chesterfield
3pm – Gillingham vs Luton Town
3pm – Grimsby Town vs Blackpool
3pm – Leicester City vs Northampton Town
3pm – Leyton Orient vs Oxford United
3pm – Norwich City vs MK Dons
3pm – Preston North End vs Huddersfield Town
3pm – Salford City vs Shrewsbury Town
3pm – Sheffield Wednesday vs Bolton Wanderers
3pm – Stockport County vs Doncaster Rovers
3pm – Stoke City vs Oldham Athletic
3pm – Swansea City vs Birmingham City
3pm – Watford vs Crawley Town
3pm – West Ham vs Portsmouth
5.30pm – Cheltenham Town vs Charlton Athletic
5.30pm – Colchester United vs Southampton
5.30pm – Rotherham Utd vs West Brom
Sunday, 9 August
4pm – Mansfield Town vs Sheffield Utd
Monday, 10 August
8pm – Plymouth Argyle vs Exeter City
Who are the reigning Carabao Cup champions?
Man City beat Arsenal 2-0 in the 2025/26 Carabao Cup final, courtesy of two second-half Nico O'Reilly goals in the space of four minutes.
When is the Carabao Cup 2026/27 final?
The 2026/27 Carabao Cup final is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 21 March, 2027.
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