Grimsby Town Football Club

We will find out who our opponents will be in Round One of the Carabao Cup on Friday morning.

Steve McManaman, Louis Saha and Dennis Wise are preparing to head to Vietnam as the Carabao Cup goes back on the road, with the Round One draw set to take place from Vietnam’s largest city, Ho Chi Minh City at 10.45am UK time.

The Mariners will be ball number 14 in the draw, one of 70 clubs in the hat.

What is changing for 2018/19?

Extra time has been removed (excluding the final)
The competition will revert to the traditional format of penalty kicks
Seeding options from Round One and Round Two removed
VAR to be used at all fixtures at Premier League stadia

Why is there no longer extra time?

Statistical analysis was presented to the EFL that demonstrated how almost 85 per cent of matches ended in normal time over a three-year period, without the additional period being required, and as a result clubs have supported a new approach without it.

The removal of extra time will also help address team selection and additional fatigue issues that can sometimes be caused when midweek ties go beyond 90 minutes.

Will the Final go straight to penalties in the event of a draw?

The Final is the only round in which a period of extra time will remain, with penalties being taken should the scores still remain level.

Will the semi-finals still be played across two legs? Will the ‘away goals rule’ still apply?

Semi-finals will still be two legs, but ties will go straight to penalties if level. Therefore, the 'away goals rule' will no longer apply as it did in the past after extra-time.

Will the penalties still be in ABBA format?

No. The format of penalties in the competition will revert to the traditional format after EFL clubs trialled the ABBA concept throughout the 2017/18 season. This will be applicable in all EFL competitions.

Why have seeding arrangements been removed?

Clubs were given the option to remove the seeding arrangements from the first two rounds of the Carabao Cup and the vote determined that this element will no longer feature. Round One will remain regionalised into North and South sections.

This format of draw has been chosen to remove complexity and decrease travel time for fans in the opening round. This move was supported by clubs at the Summer Conference.

What about Premier League teams, and new additions to the Sky Bet Championship?

West Bromwich Albion, the Premier League's bottom side from last season, will enter the competition in Round One. Premier League teams not involved in Europe, along with relegated pair Stoke City and Swansea City, will enter in Round Two, and teams from the top flight who are competing in Europe will join the competition in Round Three.

Where will VAR be used in next season's competition?

VAR can be used in next season’s competition at all fixtures played at a Premier League stadiums.

When will the first round ties be played?

The first round of the Carabao Cup will be played the week commencing the 13th  August.

Regionalisation and ball numbers are as follows: 

Who would you like in Round One?