Once the 2026-27 season arrives, Chelsea FC will indeed hit the ground running, with three matches over a six day period. The second-round EFL Cup ties were announced in full, only a few hours ago, and all of these clashes will take place during the week in between Premier League matchdays 1 and 2. Chelsea are in the latest game of the opening weekend, on the Monday actually, where they will make the very short trip down the road to face Fulham on August 24.
Then, at some point during the midweek, they’ll host Luton Town in the EFL Cup second round.
In matchweek 2, they will welcome in Brighton & Hove Albion for their Premier League home opener.
EFL Cup Second Round Draw in Full
Northern Section
Stoke City vs Hull City
Newcastle United vs West Bromwich Albion
Blackburn Rovers vs Sheffield United
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Doncaster Rovers vs Middlesbrough
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Preston North End vs Everton
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Southern Section
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
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Watford vs Peterborough United
Fulham vs AFC Wimbledon
Winner of Plymouth Argyle-Exeter City vs Coventry City
Chelsea vs Luton Town
Tottenham Hotspur vs Charlton Athletic
More on Chelsea vs Luton Town
Luton Town, or “The Hatters” were in the Premier League for one season, 2023-24. They then suffered back-to-back relegations and now reside in the third tier, EFL League One. Chelsea and Luton have only met three times previously, all over the course of 2022-23. The Blues won all three meetings.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.