Carabao Cup Second Round Fixtures Announced
Chelsea will begin their 2026/27 Carabao Cup journey with a home fixture against League One side Luton Town. The draw for the second round of the competition took place on Monday evening, with Chelsea among 11 Premier League teams entering at this stage. This marks the fifth time in the last five years that Chelsea will face Luton.
The upcoming match against Luton Town will be Chelsea’s first League Cup tie of the season. The club aims to secure the trophy for the sixth time in its history. The draw saw teams divided into northern and southern sections, with Chelsea and Luton placed in the southern section.
The fixtures for the second round are scheduled to be played during the week commencing Monday 24 August. Further details regarding specific match times and ticket information are expected to be announced soon. This stage of the competition includes Premier League teams not participating in European competitions this season, joining the winners from the first-round ties.
Southern Section Highlights and Potential Fixture Challenges
Among the notable matchups in the southern section, Tottenham Hotspur will host Charlton Athletic in a London derby. Jack Wilshere’s Luton Town will travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea. Other ties include Ipswich Town against Leicester City, Birmingham City hosting Brentford, and Fulham playing AFC Wimbledon at Craven Cottage.
The winner of the match between Plymouth and Exeter will face Premier League side Coventry City at home. West Ham United will have an all-Championship encounter away to Southampton. These matches are part of a regionalised draw, similar to the first round, ensuring geographical proximity for the initial stages of the tournament.
A potential fixture conflict has emerged due to the scheduling of a Premier League match between Fulham and Chelsea on Monday, 24 August, which was selected for live broadcast. Both teams, not being involved in European competitions, enter the Carabao Cup in the second round. This could mean both clubs would need to play two games in the midweek.
Ordinarily, EFL Cup ties would be moved to Thursday to allow for 72 hours of rest between matches. However, this adjustment could also impact the Premier League’s weekend schedule. For instance, Fulham’s match at Sunderland was moved to Sunday, and Chelsea’s game against Brighton was also chosen for Sunday broadcast.
A further complication arises because both Fulham and Chelsea were drawn at home in the Carabao Cup, and clubs are generally not scheduled to play home games on the same day. This situation may require concessions from authorities or creative scheduling solutions from the EFL. The opponents for these teams, Wimbledon and Luton, are scheduled for League One action on the Saturday following the midweek ties.
If the Carabao Cup ties are moved to Thursday, the subsequent Saturday League One games could potentially be moved to Sunday. This could affect matches such as Wimbledon versus Wigan and Mansfield versus Luton on Saturday, 29 August. Additionally, a full programme of League One games is set for the following Tuesday, 1 September, which could impact four more matches, potentially moving them to Wednesday. This includes games like Burton versus Wimbledon, Wigan versus MK Dons, Luton versus Stockport, and Reading versus Mansfield.
Northern Section Fixtures and Managerial Returns
In the northern section of the draw, Stoke City will play Hull City, and Newcastle United will host West Bromwich Albion. Nottingham Forest, who have won the competition four times, will face Leeds United in the only all-Premier League tie of the second round. Blackburn Rovers will compete against Sheffield United, while Doncaster Rovers are set to play Middlesbrough.
David Moyes’ Everton will travel to Preston North End, marking a return for the manager to the club where he began his managerial career. Other northern ties include Barnsley against Crewe Alexandra, Blackpool versus Lincoln City, and Sheffield Wednesday playing Wolverhampton Wanderers. Bradford City will host Burnley, and Fleetwood Town will face Shrewsbury Town.
These second-round matches will take place during the week commencing Monday 24 August, with the remaining Premier League teams, those involved in European competitions, joining the Carabao Cup in the third round.
Source: chelseafc.com
