The Carabao Cup second round kicks off on Tuesday, August 25, with 11 Premier League clubs entering the competition. The round will feature matches across three evenings, with coverage on Sky Sports and selected free-to-air channels.
Premier League clubs enter the fray
This round sees 11 Premier League sides join the tournament – those without European football this season – including Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United. Reigning champions Manchester City and the nine European qualifiers – Arsenal, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Brighton, Sunderland and Crystal Palace – will enter in the third round, joining the winners of this week's fixtures.
Action runs from Tuesday, August 25, through Thursday, August 27. Tuesday and Wednesday each feature one match aired on Sky Sports Football and Main Event, with the rest available on Sky Sports+ (channel 404), which is free for all subscribers.
Key fixtures and free-to-air coverage
Nottingham Forest's clash with Leeds United on Tuesday will also be shown on free-to-air TV via ITV1. Leeds beat Forest 1-0 in their opening Premier League game this weekend, so Forest will seek quick revenge.
Wednesday sees three Premier League sides make their tournament debut: Newcastle face West Brom, Tottenham host Charlton, and Everton travel to Preston North End, which will be on Sky Sports Main Event. Thursday concludes the round with Chelsea facing Luton Town and Fulham hosting AFC Wimbledon.
Full second-round fixture list
Tuesday, August 25
- Cardiff City v Norwich City – 7pm – Sky Sports+
- Doncaster Rovers v Middlesbrough – 7.30pm – Sky Sports+
- Barnsley v Crewe Alexandra – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Blackburn Rovers v Sheffield United – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Blackpool v Lincoln City – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Cambridge United v Millwall – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Fleetwood Town v Shrewsbury Town – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Ipswich Town v Leicester City – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Plymouth Argyle v Coventry City – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Sheffield Wednesday v Wolves – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Southampton v West Ham United – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Stevenage v Reading – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Stoke City v Hull City – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Walsall v Leyton Orient – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Watford v Peterborough United – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Birmingham City v Brentford – 8pm – Sky Sports+
- Nottingham Forest v Leeds United – 8pm – ITV1, STV, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Ultra HDR
Wednesday, August 26
- Bradford City v Burnley – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Newcastle United v West Brom – 7.45pm – Sky Sports+
- Tottenham Hotspur v Charlton Athletic – 8pm – Sky Sports+
- Preston North End v Everton – 8pm – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Ultra HDR
Thursday, August 27
- Chelsea v Luton Town – 7.30pm – Sky Sports+
- Fulham v AFC Wimbledon – Sky Sports+
Extra-time rules and third-round draw
Second-round matches will not go to extra-time; games level after 90 minutes head straight to penalties. The third-round draw will be held on the evening of Wednesday, August 26, following the Preston v Everton match, expected around 10.30pm, broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football. The first set of third-round games begins the week commencing September 7, and the final takes place at Wembley on March 21, 2027.
