Carabao Cup opener pits Middlesbrough against Wrexham at Riverside

The floodlights blaze over the Riverside Stadium as fans filter in for the Carabao Cup first‑round tie, scheduled for Friday, August 7, with kick‑off slated for 8 pm. Championship rivals Middlesbrough and Wrexham will meet on the pitch, marking the competition’s early‑season debut.

The English domestic football season is finally back, and the Carabao Cup takes centre stage. In an unusual change, the first round is being held before the EFL launches its new campaign, and Getty images capture the buzz surrounding the opening fixtures.

Both clubs compete in the Championship, and the match will be played at the Riverside Stadium. Middlesbrough missed out on a Premier League place last season, losing the play‑off final to Hull City after being handed a spot due to Southampton’s Spygate scandal.

Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg will be eager to start the term with a cup win, while Wrexham, who finished one place outside the play‑offs and reached the fourth round of the Carabao Cup last season, hope to go deeper under Phil Parkinson’s guidance and add another Hollywood chapter.

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This Carabao Cup first‑round tie will be broadcast live on talkSPORT, with commentary from Mark Wilson and former Newcastle defender Steve Howey. Listeners can tune in via the website, DAB digital radio, or on 1089 or 1053 AM, while the game will also be shown free‑to‑air on ITV, streamed on ITVX, and covered by .

Middlesbrough’s team news includes star attacker Morgan Whittaker, who may be available despite interest from West Ham. New signings Sebastian Berhalter, Will Lankshear and Jeremy Sarmiento could make their cup debuts, and 21‑year‑old Leo Castledine scored twice in Boro’s final friendly.

Wrexham’s camp sees Danny Imray poised to start his first competitive game after a pre‑season debut. Kieffer Moore is likely to lead the line, with Sam Smith, Nathan Broadhead and Bailey Cadamarteri also available, while full‑back Liberato Cacace, who missed much of last term through injury, should now be fit.

Middlesbrough concluded pre‑season with a 3‑3 draw against Espanyol, a 3‑1 loss to Huddersfield and a 1‑1 stalemate with Scottish champions Celtic, providing a mixed set of results ahead of the cup clash.

Wrexham’s pre‑season tour of the United States featured a 3‑2 victory over Leeds, 1‑0 defeats to Liverpool and Sunderland, and a 1‑0 win against Manchester United in Finland before heading across the Atlantic.