Competitive football returns for the Imps as the 2026/27 season begins with a trip to Pride Park to take on Derby County in the first round of the Carabao Cup, writes Kyle Fox.
For the first time, the opening fixture for teams across the EFL will be the first round of the Carabao Cup instead of taking place in the midweek immediately following the opening league game. This change has been introduced as part of an effort to ease fixture congestion, help manage player fatigue and reduce the risk of injury. It comes into effect this season due to the new format of the 2026 World Cup, which features more participating teams and a longer overall tournament.
Like Lincoln, Derby have had a relatively quiet transfer window so far, with four arrivals and four notable departures. The Rams have brought back former Liverpool youngster Bobby Clark on a permanent deal after he impressed during the 2024/25 campaign while on a season-long loan from RB Salzburg, registering four goals and three assists in 45 appearances across all competitions.
Alongside Clark, County signed experienced defender Charlie Taylor on a one-year deal following the expiry of his contract with Southampton. Taylor possesses vast Premier League and Championship experience, having made 28 appearances for West Brom last season after joining the Baggies on loan on deadline day in 2025.
Versatile German attacker Filip Bilbija was the next addition to John Eustace’s squad after his contract with German second-tier side SC Paderborn came to an end. He registered 17 goals and two assists across all competitions in his final season with the club.
Most recently, Derby brought Sammie Szmodics back to Pride Park on a season-long loan from newly promoted Ipswich Town. Szmodics returns after spending the second half of last season on loan with the Rams, scoring three goals and providing one assist in 13 appearances.
In terms of departures, veteran defender Danny Batth left the club at the end of his contract this summer and joined Championship rivals Millwall on a one-year deal. Ben Osborn also departed after opting not to sign a new contract, returning to League One side Stockport County on a one-year deal following a highly successful loan spell at Edgeley Park last season. His time there almost culminated in promotion to the Championship before the Hatters were comfortably beaten by Bolton Wanderers in the play-off final.
Twenty-four-year-old midfielder Liam Thompson also left Pride Park, signing a two-year deal with Mansfield Town. The departure most relevant to Lincoln supporters, however, was Callum Elder, who joined the Imps following the expiry of his contract this summer.
Derby County Form
Derby finished last season in eighth place, just four points behind Hull City, who occupied the final play-off position. After a dreadful start to the 2025/26 campaign, which saw Eustace’s side win just one of their opening ten league matches while also being knocked out of the EFL Cup by Burnley in the second round, County responded impressively. They bounced back with five consecutive league victories, a run that really kick-started their season.
Like Lincoln, Derby have endured a mixed pre-season in terms of results. They won just two of their six friendly matches, one of which came against Mansfield Town, as did one of Lincoln’s pre-season victories. Their other win came against National League North side Alfreton Town in their opening friendly of the summer.
The Rams also suffered a 3-1 defeat to Freiburg, a 2-1 loss to Valencia and a 1-0 defeat to Burton Albion, before rounding off their preparations with a 1-1 draw against Rotherham United.
Previous Meetings
These sides met regularly in League One before Derby secured promotion to the Championship in 2024. Their most recent encounter came in January 2024, when a hard-fought goalless draw was played out at the LNER Stadium. In the reverse fixture at Pride Park earlier that season, Derby produced a dominant display to record a 3-1 victory.
The Rams are unbeaten in their last four meetings with Lincoln, with City’s most recent victory coming in September 2022 when goals from Jack Diamond and Ben House secured a 2-0 home win.
Referee Overview
The referee for this fixture is Joshua Smith, who most recently officiated the League One play-off final between Bolton Wanderers and Stockport County. He is vastly experienced, having overseen more than 180 matches, and has previously officiated in the Premier League.
Throughout his career, Smith has averaged around 22 fouls and 3.97 cards per game, while also issuing 27 red cards and awarding 39 penalties. During the 2025/26 Championship season, he took charge of 27 matches, averaging 20.7 fouls and 3.78 yellow cards per game.
The statistics show that, across the matches Smith officiated last season, away teams won 41% of games, while home sides recorded a 37% win rate and 22% of matches ended in draws. Interestingly, however, away teams received more cards in 44% of the matches he refereed.
The last time Smith took charge of a match involving either of these sides was Derby’s Championship meeting with Ipswich Town on 7 February 2026, when he showed seven yellow cards and one red card.
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