West Ham will begin their Carabao Cup journey against Portsmouth in a nostalgic matchup that harkens back to their Premier League days. This encounter forms part of the first-round draw, revealed as English Football League (EFL) clubs discover their fate in the competition.

The draw, which took place on Thursday, sets the stage for the first round of matches scheduled for the weekend of 7-9 August, signaling the start of the 2026-27 season in England.

Key matchups in the first round include:

• Wolves facing Port Vale at home
• Burnley taking on Notts County
• Millwall visiting QPR

Among other notable fixtures, Wrexham confronts Middlesbrough, highlighting the competitive nature of Championship promotion battles. Additionally, a Devon derby will see Plymouth Argyle clash with Exeter City.

Sheffield United aims for redemption against Mansfield after a surprising FA Cup defeat earlier this year, while Derby welcomes Lincoln, marking the latter's return to the second tier after 65 years.

In the Northern Section, fixtures include:

• Middlesbrough vs Wrexham
• Sheffield Wednesday vs Bolton
• Wolves vs Port Vale

The Southern Section features:

• QPR vs Millwall
• Norwich vs MK Dons
• West Ham vs Portsmouth

In preliminary rounds, York will face Watford if they defeat Crawley, while Rochdale must overcome Tranmere to meet Bradford in the first round.