Kick-off: Saturday 8 August 2026
Venue: King Power Stadium, Leicester
Competition: Carabao Cup, First Round
Introduction
Leicester have been relegated twice in a row. They dropped out of the Premier League, and then out of the Championship too. This season, for the first time since the 2008/09 season, they are playing in League One, the third tier of English football.
That makes this game more than just a normal cup tie. It is the first time fans will see Russell Martin's new-look team in a competitive match, and it kicks off a season where Leicester are already being talked about as one of the favourites to win the league and bounce straight back up.
Leicester's team news and season plans
Russell Martin was brought in over the summer to lead the rebuild. This match against Northampton is his first chance to get points on the board and start building confidence with the squad and the fans.
After this cup tie, Leicester's league season begins the following weekend, away to Notts County on Saturday 15 August. They are also entered into the Papa Johns Trophy, where they have been drawn in a group with Walsall, Stevenage and Fulham's under-21 side.
Given how important it is for Martin to start well, expect Leicester to field a strong team against Northampton rather than rest key players.
Northampton Town's team news
Northampton, known to their fans as the Cobblers, will see this as a great early test. Playing away against a well-supported club like Leicester, in front of a big King Power Stadium crowd, is exactly the kind of game that shows how far a team has come in pre-season.
Northampton and Leicester also played each other in a pre-season friendly this summer, so both squads will already have a good idea of what to expect from one another going into this one.
Head-to-head record
These two clubs don't play each other very often. Their last competitive meeting was back in the 2008/09 season, in League One, which was also the last time Leicester played at this level. There isn't a long modern rivalry here, but the shared history from that season adds a nice bit of context to this weekend's game.
What to expect tactically
Expect Leicester to try to control the game through possession, given the gap in resources and squad depth between the two clubs. Northampton are likely to defend in a compact shape and look to hit Leicester on the counter-attack, hoping to catch their opponents cold in Martin's first game in charge.
Cup games like this can also throw up surprises early in the season, when full match sharpness is still being built up on both sides.
Prediction
Leicester's squad and home advantage should be enough to get Russell Martin's reign off to a winning start, even if the performance isn't perfect this early in the season.
Prediction: Leicester City 2-0 Northampton Town Confidence: Medium
Responsible gambling note
Cup games at the start of a season can be unpredictable, especially with a new manager and new signings involved. If you choose to bet, only stake what you can afford to lose. Support is available through BeGambleAware (UK) if gambling ever stops being fun.
FAQs
When is Leicester vs Northampton played? The match is played on Saturday 8 August 2026 at King Power Stadium.
Is this Russell Martin's first game as Leicester manager? Yes. It is his first competitive match in charge of Leicester City.
What league are Leicester City playing in this season? Leicester are playing in League One, the third tier of English football, for the first time since 2008/09, after back-to-back relegations.
When do Leicester start their League One season? Leicester's league campaign begins away to Notts County on Saturday 15 August 2026.