European qualification normally gives a bye to the EFL Cup third round, leaving the 18th and 19th Premier League finishers to start in round two. With nine clubs qualifying this season, third‑round slots drop to 23, forcing a preliminary round. West Ham and Burnley therefore begin in the first round alongside National League promotees York and Rochdale and League Two sides Tranmere and Crawley.

Because the first round is split into northern and southern sections, the EFL must juggle geography. Last year Accrington faced Oldham in the north while Barnet met Newport in the south, preserving balance. This season three northern clubs and one southern club are slated for the preliminary round, prompting speculation that an open draw could send a northern side south and require a later regional reshuffle.

From 1 July the Premier League replaces profit‑and‑sustainability rules with a squad‑cost ratio. Clubs in Europe are capped at 70 % of revenue, while the domestic ceiling sits at 85 %, with a possible rise to 115 % for the eleven non‑European sides. That extra leeway benefits clubs like Tottenham, whose 2024‑25 revenue topped £585 million, and could produce a rotating pool of Europa and Conference League qualifiers each year.