COLCHESTER United’s Carabao Cup first-round clash with Southampton has been chosen for live TV coverage.
The U’s meeting with the Saints at the JobServe Community Stadium on Saturday, August 8 will kick-off at 5.30pm and be screened live on Sky Sports Football.
The game will be Colchester’s first competitive fixture of the new 2026/27 season, ahead of the League Two big kick-off on August 15.
📅 Our @Carabao_Cup Round 1 tie against Southampton has been confirmed as a 5:30pm kick-off on Saturday 8th August.
Ticket details will be announced in due course. #ColU | #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/IrQyDOfyqN— Colchester United FC (@ColU_Official) July 2, 2026
It will also be Southampton’s first competitive match since the "Spygate" scandal, that saw the Saints thrown out of the play-off final for spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough.
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Colchester are set to come up against their former head coach Ben Garner, who is assistant coach to head coach Tonda Eckert, at Southampton.
The U’s could also face their former loanee Romeo Akachukwu, who spent time on loan in North Essex last season.
📺 Three of our fixtures have been selected by @SkyFootball:
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) July 2, 2026
Colchester will be hoping to make further progress in the competition than they did last season.
The U’s bowed out at the first-round stage to Oxford United, after falling to a 1-0 defeat at the Kassam Stadium.
