Carabao Cup Round Two Draw Guide

  • August 10, 2026

The Carabao Cup returns as we gear up for the second round of action.

It feels like the football calendar kicks off earlier with each passing year. This is particularly evident in the League Cup, which has already featured an initial preliminary stage for the four lowest-seeded EFL teams, followed by a massive opening round involving 70 clubs.

At this stage, top-flight teams enter the mix. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming second-round draw.

When is the Carabao Cup second round draw taking place?

Wes Morgan and Martin O'Neill draw the balls for the second round of the Carabao Cup

The draw is scheduled for this evening! (Image credit: Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)

You can watch the second-round draw live on Sky Sports Football on Monday, August 10, starting around 7:20 PM.

David Prutton will anchor the coverage for Sky Sports, joined in the studio by analysts Jobi McAnuff and Jamie Mackie. The selection process will take place as part of the pre-match coverage ahead of the Devon derby clash between Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City, which concludes the opening round.

Is the second round of the Carabao Cup split into regions?

The trophy on the pitch after the Carabao Cup Final between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium on March 16, 2025 in London, England.

Geographic splitting is used during the tournament’s initial stages (Image credit: Getty Images)

Indeed, the 46 participating clubs in round two are divided into northern and southern sections.

However, this division isn’t strictly geographical: despite being among the 22 most northerly clubs in the pot, both Leicester City and Norwich City find themselves allocated to the southern region.

Conversely, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion are technically among the 24 clubs furthest to the south, but they have been assigned to the northern draw.

Several teams like Birmingham City, Shrewsbury Town, Peterborough United, and Walsall sit right on the dividing boundary. Meanwhile, York City ended up in the southern half for the opening round after advancing from the preliminary stage.

Rather than tracing a precise horizontal line across the country, the EFL often factors in transport links and traditional regional groupings to ensure each section has the exact number of clubs needed.

Are there seeded teams in the Carabao Cup second round?

Nico O'Reilly of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Carabao Cup Final match between Arsenal and Manchester City

Clubs competing in European tournaments enter the competition at a later stage (Image credit: Getty Images)

No, seeding is not utilized for this round of the tournament. However, the EFL has implemented a seeding format for the third round to resolve scheduling challenges.

Because English clubs in the Champions League and Europa League have to play an extra two matches compared to those in the Conference League, a specialized system is required to prevent fixture congestion and avoid premature matchups between these teams.

During the previous campaign, third-round matches were split across the weeks of September 16 and 23 to avoid conflicts with European game weeks.

Which top-flight clubs join the Carabao Cup in the second round?

Chelsea's Joao Pedro reacts after scoring a goal during the Sydney Super Cup football match between Chelsea FC and the Western Sydney Wanderers at Stadium Australia in Sydney on July 28, 2026.

Chelsea represent one of the most prominent clubs active in the tournament at this juncture (Image credit: DAVID GRAY / AFP via Getty Images)

In total, 11 clubs from the Premier League join the competition at this point, while those involved in European football receive a bye straight to the third round.

The participating top-flight teams are:

  • Brentford
  • Chelsea
  • Everton
  • Fulham
  • Hull City
  • Ipswich Town
  • Leeds United
  • Newcastle United
  • Nottingham Forest
  • Sunderland
  • Tottenham Hotspur

Assigned Ball Numbers

What are the designated draw numbers for the second round?

Carabao Cup semi-final draw

A total of 46 clubs are involved in this evening’s draw (Image credit: Getty Images)

Here is the full list of ball numbers for the second-round draw.

Northern Section:

  1. Barnsley
  2. Blackburn Rovers
  3. Blackpool
  4. Bradford City
  5. Burnley
  6. Crewe Alexandra
  7. Doncaster Rovers
  8. Everton
  9. Fleetwood Town
  10. Hull City
  11. Leeds United
  12. Lincoln City
  13. Middlesbrough
  14. Newcastle United
  15. Nottingham Forest
  16. Preston North End
  17. Sheffield United
  18. Sheffield Wednesday
  19. Shrewsbury Town
  20. Stoke City
  21. West Bromwich Albion
  22. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Southern Section:

  1. AFC Wimbledon
  2. Birmingham City
  3. Brentford
  4. Cambridge Utd
  5. Cardiff City
  6. Charlton Athletic
  7. Chelsea
  8. Coventry City
  9. Fulham
  10. Ipswich Town
  11. Leicester City
  12. Leyton Orient
  13. Luton Town
  14. Millwall
  15. Norwich City
  16. Peterborough
  17. Reading
  18. Southampton
  19. Stevenage
  20. Tottenham Hotspur
  21. Walsall
  22. Watford
  23. West Ham United
  24. Plymouth Argyle or Exeter City