The first round is split into North and South. There is no regionalisation in round 2 with 12 Premiership clubs also joining the competition. The final 8 Premiership clubs (who are competing in Europe) join in round 3.
Full draw
| Northern Section Chesterfield | v | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| Stoke City | v | Darlington |
| Port Vale | v | Preston North End |
| Burnely | v | Hartlepool |
| Sheffield Wednesday | v | Wrexham |
| Bury | v | Sunderland |
| Hull City | v | Tranmere Rovers |
| Blackpool | v | Barnsley |
| Huddersfield Town | v | Mansfield Town |
| Carlisle United | v | Bradford City |
| Rotherham United | v | Oldham Athletic |
| Scunthorpe United | v | Lincoln City |
| Accrington Stanley | v | Nottingham Forest |
| Grimsby Town | v | Crewe Alexandra |
| Leeds United | v | Chester City |
| Doncaster Rovers | v | Rochdale |
| Stockport County | v | Derby County |
| Leicester City | v | Macclesfield Town |
| Southern Scection Cardiff City | v | Barnet |
| Milton Keynes Dons | v | Colchester United |
| Swindon Town | v | Brentford |
| Crystal Palace | v | Notts County |
| Hereford United | v | Coventry City |
| Swansea City | v | Wycombe Wanderers |
| Peterborough United | v | Ipswich Town |
| AFC Bournemouth | v | Southend United |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | v | Boston United |
| Cheltenham Town | v | Bristol City |
| Millwall | v | Gillingham |
| Southampton | v | Yeovil Town |
| Birmingham City | v | Shrewsbury Town |
| Plymouth Argyle | v | Walsall |
| Bristol Rovers | v | Luton Town |
| Queens Park Rangers | v | Northampton Town |
| Torquay United | v | Norwich City |
| Leyton Orient | v | West Bromwich Albion |