2026–27 Carabao Cup Second Round Draw: Chelsea, Tottenham Learn Opponents

A total of 11 Premier League sides entered the draw for the second round of the 2026–27 Carabao Cup on Monday, with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur among the biggest names.

Chelsea landed a tie with League One’s Luton Town, led by former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, in what will be Xabi Alonso’s first competitive home match as Blues boss.

As for Tottenham, an all-London affair against Charlton Athletic is on the cards for Roberto De Zerbi’s side.

2026–27 Carabao Cup Second Round Draw in Full

North Draw

Stoke City vs. Hull City
Newcastle vs. West Brom
Blackburn vs. Sheffield Utd
Nottingham Forest vs. Leeds
Doncaster vs. Middlesbrough
Barnsley vs. Crewe
Preston vs. Everton
Blackpool vs. Lincoln
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Wolves
Bradford vs. Burnley
Fleetwood vs. Shrewsbury

South Draw

Walsall vs. Leyton Orient
Ipswich vs. Leicester
Cardiff vs. Norwich
Stevenage vs. Reading
Cambridge vs. Millwall
Birmingham City vs. Brentford
Southampton vs. West Ham
Watford vs. Peterborough
Fulham vs. AFC Wimbledon
Plymouth vs. Coventry
Chelsea vs. Luton
Tottenham vs. Charlton

When Is the Second Round of the 2026–27 Carabao Cup?

João Pedro, Sandro Tonali, Dário Essugo — Chelsea and Tottenham are both in action. | Steve Christo - Corbis/Getty Images

The specific dates for the Carabao Cup second round fixtures have not yet been finalized, but all have been scheduled for the week beginning Aug. 24. With the Premier League starting just days earlier, the games will occupy a midweek spot.

That poses a possible complication for Chelsea, whose Premier League opener away at Fulham is already scheduled for Monday, Aug. 24. The Blues’ battle with Luton will, therefore, be pushed to Thursday, when Fulham’s own tie against AFC Wimbledon will have to be held for the same reason.

However, policing regulations usually block both Chelsea and Fulham from playing at home on the same day, given how close the two sides are geographically. Organizers will have to find a way to make the schedule work around the Premier League’s hectic calendar.

When Do the Remaining Premier League Teams Join the Carabao Cup?

Arsenal squad — Arsenal are among those who will join later. | Michael Regan/Getty Images for Premier League

Being part of the Carabao Cup at this early stage is far from a compliment for either Chelsea or Tottenham.

Indeed, the only Premier League teams that join in the second round are those that failed to qualify for any form of European competition for this season.

A total of nine English sides made it into either the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League, with those teams kept out of the Carabao Cup until the third round.

English Clubs in Europe This Season

Team	Competition
Arsenal	Champions League
Man City	Champions League
Man Utd	Champions League
Liverpool	Champions League
Aston Villa	Champions League
Bournemouth	Europa League
Sunderland	Europa League
Crystal Palace	Europa League
Brighton	Conference League

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