Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham Discover Carabao Cup Paths as Premier League Sides Face Intriguing Second-Round Tests

The 2026/27 Carabao Cup has taken another step towards its first major knockout battles, with Chelsea, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and other Premier League clubs discovering their second-round opponents.

The draw was completed on Monday, August 10, ahead of Plymouth Argyle's first-round meeting with Exeter City, and produced several ties that immediately stand out.

Chelsea will begin their campaign at home against Luton Town, while Tottenham Hotspur face a London derby against Charlton Athletic.

Newcastle United, meanwhile, have been handed a home tie against West Bromwich Albion.

There is also an all-Premier League meeting between Nottingham Forest and Leeds United, while Birmingham City will welcome Brentford and Southampton will face West Ham United.

The second-round fixtures are scheduled for the week beginning August 24, although the exact dates and kick-off times are yet to be confirmed.

The Biggest Second-Round Storylines

The draw has produced a mixture of Premier League-versus-EFL contests and two all-top-flight meetings.

The most eye-catching of those is arguably Nottingham Forest against Leeds United.

Both clubs are expected to have ambitions of progressing deep into the competition, meaning one Premier League side will definitely disappear from the tournament at this stage.

Newcastle's meeting with West Brom is another interesting tie.

The Magpies will have home advantage against a Championship opponent, but West Brom have enough experience to make the fixture uncomfortable.

Chelsea have also been handed an opportunity to make a strong start to their Carabao Cup campaign when they welcome Luton.

Tottenham, meanwhile, face a local battle against Charlton in what should be a lively London occasion.

Chelsea Begin Against Luton

Chelsea's first Carabao Cup match of the season will be against Luton Town at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues enter the competition in the second round after not being involved in European competition this season.

That gives them an opportunity to use the competition as an early route towards silverware while also giving players competing for places an opportunity to impress.

Luton will arrive with nothing to lose.

The Hatters will know that a trip to Stamford Bridge represents a difficult assignment, but cup football regularly creates opportunities for lower-ranked clubs to cause surprises.

Chelsea will therefore have to approach the tie seriously.

Tottenham Handed London Derby

Tottenham Hotspur have been drawn against Charlton Athletic.

It is a particularly interesting fixture because of the local connection between the clubs.

Charlton will be hoping the occasion can inspire them to produce one of the shocks of the round.

Tottenham, meanwhile, will be expected to progress.

The Carabao Cup can provide an opportunity for clubs to rotate their squads, but Spurs cannot afford to underestimate an opponent that will see the match as a chance to create a memorable night.

Newcastle Host West Brom

Newcastle United will begin their Carabao Cup campaign at home against West Bromwich Albion.

The Magpies have history with the competition after winning the trophy in the 2024/25 season.

They will therefore have ambitions of making another deep run.

West Brom face a difficult trip to St James' Park, but the Championship side will be aware that Newcastle's squad could change considerably depending on selection and the demands of the Premier League schedule.

The home side remain clear favourites on paper.

But the pressure will be on Newcastle to demonstrate that difference on the pitch.

Nottingham Forest and Leeds Produce All-Premier League Tie

One of the most significant fixtures in the draw is Nottingham Forest against Leeds United.

Neither club has the luxury of facing a lower-division opponent.

Instead, one Premier League side will be eliminated before the third round.

That gives the fixture additional importance.

For Forest and Leeds, the Carabao Cup could offer a realistic opportunity to challenge for a trophy while also giving squad players the chance to make an impression.

The all-Premier League nature of the tie means there will be little room for complacency.

Brentford Travel to Birmingham

Birmingham City will host Brentford in another intriguing contest.

The Championship side will have home advantage, while Brentford arrive with the experience of Premier League football.

Birmingham will see the fixture as an opportunity to test themselves against top-flight opposition.

Brentford, meanwhile, will want to avoid the type of early cup exit that can quickly become an unwanted distraction.

The home crowd could play an important role.

Southampton Face West Ham

Southampton have been drawn at home against West Ham United.

The fixture gives both clubs a difficult second-round assignment.

West Ham have the quality to progress, but Southampton's home advantage could make the contest considerably more competitive.

It is another example of the draw producing a fixture that could easily have been a later-round tie.

Full 2026/27 Carabao Cup Second-Round Draw

Northern Section

Fixture

●Stoke City vs Hull City

●Newcastle United vs West Bromwich Albion

●Blackburn Rovers vs Sheffield United

●Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United

●Doncaster Rovers vs Middlesbrough

●Barnsley vs Crewe Alexandra

●Preston North End vs Everton

●Blackpool vs Lincoln City

●Sheffield Wednesday vs ●Wolverhampton Wanderers

●Bradford City vs Burnley

●Fleetwood Town vs Shrewsbury Town

Southern Section

Fixture

●Walsall vs Leyton Orient

●Ipswich Town vs Leicester City

●Cardiff City vs Norwich City

●Stevenage vs Reading

●Cambridge United vs Millwall

●Birmingham City vs Brentford

●Southampton vs West Ham United

●Watford vs Peterborough United

●Fulham vs AFC Wimbledon

●Plymouth Argyle or Exeter City vs Coventry City

●Chelsea vs Luton Town

●Tottenham Hotspur vs Charlton Athletic

The Plymouth Argyle/Exeter City winner will face Coventry City, meaning the final Southern Section pairing depended on the outcome of the last first-round tie.

Why the Second Round Matters

The Carabao Cup's second round is particularly important because it is the point at which the Premier League clubs not competing in Europe enter the tournament.

This season, 11 Premier League sides joined the competition at this stage.

The remaining top-flight clubs, including holders Manchester City, will enter in the third round because of their European commitments.

That creates an unusual dynamic.

The second round contains a mixture of Premier League teams, Championship sides and clubs from Leagues One and Two, creating opportunities for potential upsets.

For the lower-league clubs, drawing a Premier League opponent can provide one of the biggest occasions of their season.

For the top-flight sides, meanwhile, the danger is obvious.

One poor performance can end their pursuit of silverware before the competition has properly begun.

Regional Draw Adds Another Layer

The Carabao Cup remains regionally divided during the opening rounds.

The second round is split into Northern and Southern sections, helping reduce travel requirements for clubs at the beginning of the season.

That regional structure will not continue indefinitely.

The competition moves towards a national draw from the third round onwards, when the remaining European clubs enter.

As a result, the second round represents the final stage in which geography plays such a significant role in determining possible opponents.

Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United Must Wait

Some of the biggest names in English football will not feature in the second round.

Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United are among the clubs that will enter the competition later because of their European involvement.

That means the second round is not yet the full-strength Carabao Cup.

Nevertheless, there is already plenty of Premier League representation.

Chelsea, Tottenham, Newcastle, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, Brentford, Fulham and other top-flight clubs now know the first obstacle standing between them and the third round.

Potential Giant-Killers

Cup competitions are often defined by unexpected results, and several lower-league clubs have been handed opportunities to create them.

AFC Wimbledon travel to Fulham, while Luton visit Chelsea.

Crewe Alexandra face Barnsley, Shrewsbury travel to Fleetwood Town and Peterborough United visit Watford.

Charlton's trip to Tottenham is another fixture where the underdog will believe a surprise is possible.

The financial and sporting rewards of eliminating a Premier League side make these fixtures particularly attractive for the EFL clubs.

When Will the Matches Be Played?

The second-round ties are scheduled for the week beginning August 24, 2026.

The exact dates and kick-off times have not yet all been confirmed because the broadcast selections and fixture scheduling still need to be finalised.

That means supporters will need to wait for the official fixture announcements before making final matchday plans.

What Comes Next?

The winners of the 23 second-round ties will progress to the third round.

That is where the remaining Premier League clubs involved in European competition will enter the competition.

The third round will therefore bring Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and the other European participants into the tournament.

For the clubs entering now, the objective is simple: survive.

The second round will produce winners, shocks and at least a few disappointed Premier League fanbases.

And with several fascinating ties already confirmed, the road to Wembley has officially begun.

Key Takeaways

●Chelsea will host Luton Town.

●Tottenham Hotspur face Charlton Athletic.

●Newcastle United will host West Bromwich Albion.

●Nottingham Forest and Leeds United meet in an all-Premier League tie.

●Birmingham City host Brentford.

Southampton face West Ham United.

●Preston North End take on Everton.

●Sheffield Wednesday face Wolverhampton Wanderers.

●Fulham host AFC Wimbledon.

●The second round is scheduled for the week beginning August 24.

●Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United enter in the third round because of European commitments.

Fan Debate

●⚽ Goal: Which second-round fixture are you most excited to watch?

●🔥 Fire: Nottingham Forest vs Leeds — best tie of the draw?

●😲 Shock: Which lower-league club has the best chance of producing an upset?

●👍 Like: Can Chelsea go all the way and win the Carabao Cup?

●💬 Comment: Who will be the biggest second-round casualty?