Carabao Cup: Arsenal Exempted as Chelsea Lead London Clubs in Round Two
Chelsea will lead the London contingent into the second round of the 2026/27 Carabao Cup after being handed a home tie against Luton Town, while Arsenal have been exempted from the round.
The Blues will welcome Luton to Stamford Bridge on August 25 or 26 as the competition moves into its second-round stage, with Chelsea hoping to make home advantage count in their opening fixture.
For Luton, the visit to Stamford Bridge presents an opportunity to produce one of the round’s biggest upsets, while Chelsea will be expected to negotiate the tie and maintain their challenge for domestic silverware.
Several other Premier League clubs have been handed difficult assignments, including Birmingham City against Brentford, Southampton against West Ham United, Nottingham Forest against Leeds United and Preston North End against Everton.
Newcastle United will host West Bromwich Albion, while Sheffield Wednesday face Wolverhampton Wanderers. Ipswich Town have also been drawn against Leicester City in another eye-catching encounter.
Among the other London clubs, Tottenham Hotspur will entertain Charlton Athletic, while Fulham will face AFC Wimbledon.
The Round Two schedule also features a number of all-Championship and lower-league battles, guaranteeing a mixture of familiar Premier League contests and potential giant-killing opportunities.
Carabao Cup Round Two Fixtures
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
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/Exeter City vs Coventry City
Chelsea vs Luton Town
Tottenham Hotspur vs Charlton Athletic
With the second round scheduled for August 25 and 26, attention will now turn to Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea begin their Carabao Cup journey against Luton, while Arsenal wait to enter the competition at a later stage.
