BLACKBURN Rovers will face Fleetwood Town, Carlisle United and Oldham Athletic in the group stages of the new EFL Trophy after the draw was made this morning.

Accrington Stanley were drawn in Northern Group B alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers, Chesterfield and Crewe Alexandra.

Rovers accepted an invitation to take part in this season's EFL Trophy this week.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Earlier this summer the EFL announced a change in format for the competition, which for the first time, will include 16 Category 1 clubs.

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Rovers have now confirmed that they are one of those clubs and that they will be taking part.

A total of 64 clubs will compete in the competition, beginning with 16 groups of four teams, each of which will include at least one club from each of Leagues One and Two, along with a Category 1 team.

Lancashire Telegraph:

The following Category 1 sides will play in the 2016/17 EFL Trophy: Leicester City, Southampton, West Ham United, Stoke City, Chelsea, Everton, Swansea City, West Bromwich Albion, Sunderland, Norwich City, Middlesbrough, Brighton and Hove Albion, Derby County, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers and Reading.

The top two sides in each group will then go into a knockout stage that will culminate in a showpiece final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, April 2.