Derby County v Lincoln City live on talkSPORT and IMPS+ with John Helm on commentary
Match date:
Derby County host Lincoln City in the English League Cup on Sunday, 8 August 2026, with a 15:00 UK time kick-off at Pride Park Stadium.[1][13] For British listeners and viewers, the key options highlighted in the available listings are talkSPORT, where Ben Mee is listed as pundit and Geoff Peters as reporter, and IMPS+ Streaming, where John Helm is named as the main commentator.[15][16]
John Helm is one of the most recognisable voices in English football broadcasting, best known for his long career across radio and television as a match commentator and presenter. His presence on the IMPS+ stream gives this tie a familiar, traditional radio-style feel for Lincoln supporters, with the commentary-led coverage likely to be the main draw for fans following the match outside the stadium. Ben Mee, meanwhile, brings recent top-level playing experience to talkSPORT’s coverage after a lengthy career as a Premier League defender, while Geoff Peters is a seasoned football reporter whose work has regularly featured across radio football output.[15][16]
The match is listed as a League Cup first-round tie, although some results label the fixture as a round of 32 or round one, reflecting differences in how competitions are organised and displayed across data providers.[1][4][13] Regardless of the naming convention, this is an early-season knockout fixture in which both clubs will see an opportunity to build momentum and test squad depth, particularly as League Cup ties often come with rotation and chances for younger players.
Coverage listings suggest the game is also available on Sky Sports+ in Great Britain, with some overseas platforms carrying it in other territories, underlining how the competition is distributed across several broadcasters and apps.[4][16] That wider availability matters for UK fans because EFL Cup ties are often split across multiple digital services, and the most prominent UK television name attached in the available sources is Sky Sports+ rather than one of the free-to-air broadcasters.[4][16]
Form guides and previews point to a competitive contest, with several outlets leaning towards a home win for Derby County. Sports Mole predicts a 2-0 Derby victory, while other preview models also favour the Rams, citing their familiarity and home advantage at Pride Park.[14][15] Those predictions are not guarantees, of course, but they do indicate that Derby are being treated as the more likely winners on current form-based assessments.
There is also a useful historical context to this fixture. Derby County and Lincoln City have met before in cup football, and one preview source notes that Derby have historically performed well against Lincoln in the League Cup, including a 3-1 extra-time win in a previous cup meeting.[12] That said, Lincoln’s recent record in the matchup has shown that they can make life difficult, and the clubs’ meetings have not always followed the expected script.
For British audiences tuning in, the safest way to think about this fixture is simple: talkSPORT offers the radio-style matchday conversation with Ben Mee and Geoff Peters, while IMPS+ carries the commentary from John Helm for Lincoln supporters looking for a dedicated club stream.[15][16] With Pride Park hosting and the League Cup format guaranteeing a winner on the day, this is the sort of early-August fixture that can quickly set the tone for both clubs’ seasons.
For more on the competition, see the EFL Cup.
Article generated: 7 August 2026, 15:01 GMT