The English Football League (EFL) Cup returns this week with 11 Premier League teams joining the action.
A total of 46 teams will play in the second round, including the 35 winners from the first round and the 11 Premier League teams who are not playing in European competitions this season. The draw for the second round, done back on August 10th, split the teams into northern and southern sections.
Who’s playing the second round?
The second round features one Premier League clash, with Nottingham Forest hosting Leeds United. Apart from this first division clash, the other nine Premier League clubs entering this round are:
- Hull City
- Newcastle United
- Everton
- Ipswich Town
- Coventry City
- Brentford
- Tottenham
- Chelsea
- Fulham
17 Championship clubs made it past the first round, with 14 League One and four League Two teams also advancing. Below is the full schedule for this week’s action:
Northern section
| Date | Match |
|---|---|
| 25 August 2026 | Doncaster Rovers (3) vs Middlesbrough (2) |
| 25 August 2026 | Barnsley (3) vs Crewe Alexandra (4) |
| 25 August 2026 | Blackburn Rovers (2) vs Sheffield United (2) |
| 25 August 2026 | Blackpool (3) vs Lincoln City (2) |
| 25 August 2026 | Fleetwood Town (4) vs Shrewsbury Town (4) |
| 25 August 2026 | Sheffield Wednesday (3) vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (2) |
| 25 August 2026 | Stoke City (2) vs Hull City (1) |
| 25 August 2026 | Nottingham Forest (1) vs Leeds United (1) |
| 26 August 2026 | Bradford City (3) vs Burnley (2) |
| 26 August 2026 | Newcastle United (1) vs West Bromwich Albion (2) |
| 26 August 2026 | Preston North End (2) vs Everton (1) |
Southern section
| Date | Match |
|---|---|
| 25 August 2026 | Cardiff City (2) vs Norwich City (2) |
| 25 August 2026 | Cambridge United (3) vs Millwall (2) |
| 25 August 2026 | Ipswich Town (1) vs Leicester City (3) |
| 25 August 2026 | Plymouth Argyle (3) vs Coventry City (1) |
| 25 August 2026 | Southampton (2) vs West Ham United (2) |
| 25 August 2026 | Stevenage (3) vs Reading (3) |
| 25 August 2026 | Walsall (4) vs Leyton Orient (3) |
| 25 August 2026 | Watford (2) vs Peterborough United (3) |
| 25 August 2026 | Birmingham City (2) vs Brentford (1) |
| 26 August 2026 | Tottenham Hotspur (1) vs Charlton Athletic (2) |
| 27 August 2026 | Chelsea (1) vs Luton Town (3) |
| 27 August 2026 | Fulham (1) vs AFC Wimbledon (3) |
When is the third round draw?
The draw for the third round of the Carabao Cup will take place following the conclusion of Preston North End versus Everton on Wednesday, August 26. Due to the expanded European competition calendar, there will be extra conditions required for the draw. With scheduled UEFA fixtures, the draw will ensure that the eight clubs participating in the Champions League and Europa League cannot face each other.
Before the main draw, there will be a pre-draw to determine where the eight Champions League and Europa League clubs will play home or away. From the third round onwards, there will be no sections, and besides the eight European sides, any team can draw any team moving forward.