Reading Football Club

Royals supporters will need to keep a keen eye out for ball 27 in the Southern Section of the Carabao Cup First Round draw when it takes place on Thursday evening.

Thursday 20th June is #FixtureReleaseDay – we learn our Sky Bet Championship schedule at 9am, before the Carabao Cup draw takes place at 7pm that evening.

A total of 70 clubs enter at this stage: all sides from the three EFL divisions, with the exception of Cardiff City and Fulham, who get a bye into the Second Round.

Ray Parlour and John Barnes will be picking the numbers out of the hat for the cup competition, with the draw taking place at Morrisons in Colindale, round the corner from Wembley Stadium.

As ever, the draw for this stage is regionalised – we’re in the Southern Section and we could potentially face local opposition such as Oxford, Swindon or Wycombe, home or away. But equally we could potentially be handed lengthy away trips to the likes of Plymouth Argyle or Colchester United – all will be revealed on Thursday evening.

Unlike some previous years, there is no seeding in place – meaning that we could be paired with one of the other nine Championship sides in the Southern Section.