Norwich City to face MK Dons in Carabao Cup first round

Norwich City will host Paul Warne’s MK Dons as they enter the Carabao Cup for the 2026/27 campaign.

The Canaries’ first-round clash with the League One side was confirmed on Thursday afternoon and will take place over the weekend of August 7-9. It marks the first competitive game of the season for Philippe Clement’s side, who host West Brom in their Championship opener the following weekend.

The tie will see boyhood City fan Warne return to Carrow Road, a place he has previously described as meaning a lot to him.

Speaking in 2021, Warne said: “I am emotional when I go to Norwich anyway so I don’t know if I will feel more emotional. I can’t explain it – going into a church that’s completely empty feels more spiritual to me than it does if there’s 100 people in it.

“If I manage a team at Norwich there’s not a chance I won’t think about my father, not a chance.

“I have played a cup final at Carrow Road in front of 3,000 people but at the time I thought that was a lot of people in my non-league halcyon days.”

Former England international Kevin Nolan and ex-Ipswich defender Luke Chambers were responsible for conducting the draw. Norwich were ball number 21 in the Southern Section draw.

Norwich beat Championship side Watford 2-1 at Vicarage Road in the first round of the competition last season before being comfortably beaten by fellow second-tier side Southampton 3-0 at Carrow Road.

The draw took place hours after City’s full 2026/27 Championship schedule was confirmed, with Clement’s first full season at the helm starting against the Baggies at Carrow Road before a trip to Millwall the next weekend.

Across the Canaries’ 123-year history, they have lifted the trophy twice. The first triumph came in 1962, when they defeated Rochdale 4-0 on aggregate over two legs, before winning it again 23 years later at Wembley with a 1-0 victory over Sunderland, courtesy of a Gordon Chisholm own goal.