West Ham United have been handed a home tie against Portsmouth in the first round of the Carabao Cup, giving Nuno Espirito Santo an immediate competitive test before the Championship campaign begins.
The draw, reported after Thursday’s fixture-release day, places the Hammers at the London Stadium across the weekend of 7-9 August. The EFL had already confirmed that round one would be staged that weekend, with the league season starting a week later.
That timing matters. West Ham are due to open their league programme away at Burnley, a detail already underlined in the wider fixture-release picture, so this cup tie now becomes Nuno’s first live audit of rhythm, fitness and squad depth.
London Stadium Tie Lands Before Burnley Opener
According to The Independent, West Ham will face Portsmouth in one of the standout all-Championship ties from the southern section.
For Nuno, who was kept on after relegation with the stated target of an immediate return, the draw carries more edge than a routine early-round cup assignment. It offers a first chance to measure senior players, fringe options and young hopefuls under pressure before the promotion race starts properly.
It also gives supporters an early London Stadium ticketing marker, with cup access now part of the first practical calendar check for the new campaign.
West Ham will host Portsmouth in the first round of the Carabao Cup. The tie will be played over the weekend of 7-9 August 2026.
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