The new Premier League season is still yet to begin, but Manchester United and the 10 other top flight clubs not involved in European competition have learned who they will be facing in the second round of the 2025–26 Carabao Cup.
United, winners of the trophy on six occasions—most recently in 2022–23, haven’t entered the League Cup at such an early stage for 11 years. The last time they did, it ended in catastrophe, when an MK Dons side containing a young Dele Alli thrashed them 4–0 on Louis van Gaal’s watch.
This season, it’s another David vs. Goliath tie in which they take the role of the latter, paired with League Two’s Grimsby Town.
The likes of Everton, West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United are also now in the competition, joining 35 winners from the round one ties played this week—including Wrexham, Southampton, Bromley, Reading and Stockport County from across the EFL pyramid.
As was the case with the first round, the draw was divided into geographical sections, with the first 11 ties drawn from the south and the subsequent 12 from the north. Overall, 46 teams will play at this stage, but only 23 will advance to the third round.
