Everton forced to move EFL Cup tie at short notice

Retold by Oddsrama · 31 August 2026

Everton's Carabao Cup third-round clash with Wolves has been pushed back a full week, forcing the Merseyside club to reshuffle plans just nine days before kick-off. The fixture was originally pencilled in for Wednesday, 9 September, but will now take place on Wednesday, 16 September instead. The chaos stems from a fixture pile-up that has left the EFL with few options and Uefa's Champions League schedule taking absolute priority.

The trouble began when Uefa confirmed Liverpool's European campaign opener against Atletico Madrid would take place at Anfield on 9 September. Since Merseyside Police prohibit both Liverpool and Everton from hosting matches on the same evening—a practical constraint that cannot be overridden—the EFL was forced to move Everton's cup tie. The domino effect continues: Liverpool's Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham, originally scheduled for 16 September, has now been brought forward to Tuesday, 15 September. The EFL lodged an appeal to shift the Liverpool-Atletico Champions League match, but Uefa's calendar is non-negotiable, leaving the English cup competition to absorb the disruption.

Wolves face their own scheduling headache as a result. Their Championship fixture against Portsmouth, initially set for September, must now be rearranged for 20 October after the international break. The EFL has apologised for the late notice but stressed they had no practical alternative, taking a swipe at Uefa's "unwillingness to co-operate." For bettors, the rescheduling could affect team form and injury status heading into the fixture—fixture congestion often plays a role in how sides perform, so punters should monitor team news closely as September unfolds.

This scheduling mess underscores a growing tension between the expanded Champions League and domestic cup competitions. Uefa's decision to stagger Champions League fixtures across multiple nights in September forced the EFL to introduce a pre-draw mechanism simply to avoid drawing cup rivals against each other on the same evenings. It's a Band-Aid solution to a structural problem that looks unlikely to improve anytime soon.

Based on original reporting by BBC Football. Read the original at bbc.co.uk →

#Everton#Wolves#Carabao Cup

Everton forced to move EFL Cup tie at short notice

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