Middlesbrough visit Leeds in Carabao Cup opener

Middlesbrough beat Chelsea 1-0 in the first leg of the semi-final in last year's competition but lost 6-2 on aggregate

Carabao Cup semi-finalists Middlesbrough have been drawn away to Championship rivals Leeds United in the first round of the 2024-25 competition.

Boro were beaten 6-2 by Chelsea over two legs in January to miss out on a Wembley final, having taken a 1-0 lead against the Premier League side in the first meeting.

Derby County - back in the Championship next term - will host East Midlands rivals Chesterfield, who return to the competition for the first time in six years after earning promotion back to the English Football League.

Sheffield United will face Wrexham in a repeat of their dramatic FA Cup fourth-round tie from 2023, after the Blades' relegation from the Premier League.

Bromley, making their debut in the competition after their promotion to the EFL in May, will welcome fellow League Two side AFC Wimbledon.

The first round of matches will take place during the week commencing 12 August, with the final set for Wembley on Sunday, 16 March 2025.

Luton and Burnley, who, like Sheffield United, were also relegated straight back to the Championship for 2024-25, will enter the draw in the second round along with 13 Premier League teams.

Holders Liverpool will join proceedings in the third round as they are among the seven other top-flight teams involved in European competition next season.

As part of the new EFL television deal next season, all 93 Carabao Cup games will be broadcast on Sky Sports.

In total there are six ties featuring Championship sides against League Two opponents, including Wayne Rooney's Plymouth Argyle hosting Cheltenham Town and West Bromwich Albion travelling to Fleetwood Town.

The first round is regionalised into northern and southern sections, with 38 teams in the northern half and 32 in the southern half.

The EFL confirmed that the semi-finals of this year’s competition would continue to be played across two legs in 2024-25, despite potential for a clash of fixtures with European competitions.

As it stands, three of the midweeks presently used for the EFL Cup could feature a round of Champions League and Europa League matches.

Southern section

Cambridge United v Queens Park Rangers

Walsall v Exeter City

Crawley Town v Swindon Town

Oxford United v Peterborough United

Norwich City v Stevenage

Bromley v AFC Wimbledon

Portsmouth v Millwall

Northampton Town v Wycombe Wanderers

Bristol City v Coventry City

Cardiff City v Bristol Rovers

Charlton Athletic v Birmingham City

Watford v MK Dons

Swansea City v Gillingham

Plymouth Argyle v Cheltenham Town

Leyton Orient v Newport County

Colchester United v Reading

Northern section

Salford City v Doncaster Rovers

Rotherham United v Crewe Alexandra

Carlisle United v Stoke City

Leeds United v Middlesbrough

Barrow v Port Vale

Burton Albion v Blackpool

Tranmere Rovers v Accrington Stanley

Fleetwood Town v West Bromwich Albion

Shrewsbury Town v Notts County

Lincoln City v Harrogate Town

Derby County v Chesterfield

Bolton Wanderers v Mansfield Town

Preston North End v Sunderland

Sheffield United v Wrexham

Huddersfield Town v Morecambe

Wigan Athletic v Barnsley

Hull City v Sheffield Wednesday

Stockport County v Blackburn Rovers

Grimsby Town v Bradford City

Holders Peterborough face Palace in EFL Trophy

Peterborough United beat Wycombe Wanderers to lift the Bristol Street Motors Trophy at Wembley in April

Bristol Street Motors Trophy holders Peterborough United will face Crystal Palace Under-21s in the group stage of next season's competition.

Posh beat Wycombe Wanderers in the final at Wembley in April to lift the trophy for a second time.

Wycombe will take on Brighton U21s as well as AFC Wimbledon and Crawley Town, who have just been promoted to League One.

Birmingham City face Walsall, Shrewsbury Town and Fulham U21s in their first appearance in the competition since 1994-95, following their relegation to League One.

Bromley will face Chelsea U21s in their first ever season in the competition after securing promotion to the EFL for the first time in the club's 132-year history.

National League winners Chesterfield will face Manchester City U21s as they also enter the competition for the first time in six years.

The dates for the group games have not yet been announced.

Southern section

Group A: Birmingham City, Shrewsbury Town, Walsall, Fulham U21

Group B: AFC Wimbledon, Crawley Town, Wycombe Wanderers, Brighton & Hove Albion U21

Group C: Bromley, Cambridge United, Charlton Athletic, Chelsea U21

Group D: Gillingham, Peterborough United, Stevenage, Crystal Palace U21

Group E: Colchester United, Leyton Orient, MK Dons, Arsenal U21

Group F: Burton Albion, Northampton Town, Notts County, Leicester City U21

Group G: Bristol Rovers, Exeter City, Swindon Town, Tottenham Hotspur U21

Group H: Cheltenham Town, Newport County, Reading, West Ham United U21

Northern section

Group A: Accrington Stanley, Stockport County, Tranmere Rovers, Everton U21

Group B: Port Vale, Salford City, Wrexham, Wolverhampton Wanderers U21

Group C: Carlisle United, Morecambe, Wigan Athletic, Nottingham Forest U21

Group D: Barrow, Bolton Wanderers, Fleetwood Town, Aston Villa U21

Group E: Blackpool, Crewe Alexandra, Harrogate Town, Liverpool U21

Group F: Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers, Huddersfield Town, Manchester United U21

Group G: Chesterfield, Grimsby Town, Lincoln City, Manchester City U21

Group H: Bradford City, Mansfield Town, Rotherham United, Newcastle United U21