Gareth Ainsworth happy Gillingham FC open 2026/27 campaign with Carabao Cup clash: ‘Do it every season!’
18.07.26, 15:00 Updated 24.07.26, 15:11
Simon Head
An interesting wrinkle to the early-season fixture list was the decision by the EFL to run the opening round of the Carabao Cup on the weekend of Saturday, August 8. It means the first competitive game of the 2026/27 campaign will be in the EFL Cup, rather than the league itself.
While the decision may have raised a few eyebrows around the league, and especially among the fans, one man is all for the move. Gillingham boss Gareth Ainsworth admitted that he was delighted to see the Gills’ first competitive game coming in the Carabao Cup, where they’ll face League One Luton Town at Priestfield on Saturday, August 8, one week before the EFL season gets underway.
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Simon Head is the founding editor of Gills 365. A veteran sports journalist and editor with more than 25 years in the industry, he has written for major news outlets, broadcasters and sports organisations around the world. Simon is a longtime Gillingham season ticket holder, and has been a regular at Priestfield since the mid-1990s.