Tottenham Hotspur host Charlton Athletic in the Carabao Cup second round on Wednesday, looking to respond after a chastening 3-0 Premier League defeat at Brentford on the opening weekend.
Roberto De Zerbi admitted afterwards that his expensively rebuilt squad are “not a team yet,” conceding his players “didn’t fight the right way” against a ruthless Bees side. The tie also offers a personal subplot for Conor Gallagher, who could feature against the club where he began his career on loan before establishing himself in the Premier League.
Charlton arrive full of confidence, having taken maximum points from three matches in all competitions this season: a 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town in the first round, and Championship victories over Derby County and a newly-relegated West Ham United.
It is the first meeting between the clubs since a 3-0 Tottenham win in the FA Cup third round in January 2011, when Charlton were then a third-tier side. Spurs, entering the Carabao Cup at this stage for the first time since 2023-24 due to their lack of European football this season, will hope home advantage helps settle their nerves after a difficult start.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Charlton Athletic – Match preview and team news
Date: Wednesday, 26 August 2026
Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Referee: Adam Herczeg
Last meeting: Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 Charlton Athletic, FA Cup third round, January 2011
Team news
Tottenham Hotspur
Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odebert remain long-term absentees with knee injuries, and Mohammed Kudus is still working back from a thigh problem. James Maddison fractured his shoulder landing awkwardly against Brentford and is expected to be out for up to two weeks. New captain Micky van de Ven and vice-captain Pedro Porro, who both missed the Brentford defeat, have been named among the substitutes rather than risked from the start.
Charlton Athletic
Kayne Ramsay and Charlie Kelman remain sidelined through injury, and Josh Edwards, though back in training, is considered unlikely to feature. New signing Timothy Ouma may find this tie comes too soon for involvement. Nathaniel Chalobah is expected to continue anchoring midfield after impressing in the win over West Ham.
Form
Tottenham Hotspur
De Zerbi’s first competitive game in charge brought a chastening reality check, Spurs well beaten by a Brentford side that exploited familiar defensive frailties. The result followed two consecutive 17th-place Premier League finishes and a summer of heavy spending, adding pressure on the Italian to show quick improvement. Wednesday offers the chance to integrate several new arrivals before Saturday’s home game against Newcastle.
Charlton Athletic
Nathan Jones’s side have made the perfect start to the season, scoring in every match and taking maximum points from three games in all competitions. Their away win at West Ham was particularly eye-catching, played in front of more than 59,000 supporters at the London Stadium. Jones has been keen to temper expectations, insisting after that win that “this is the norm now” for his squad rather than a one-off.
Predicted lineups
Tottenham Hotspur predicted XI (4-3-3): Dubravka; Gray, Van Hecke, Danso, Udogie; Fernandes, Bentancur, Bergvall; Moore, Solanke, Tel
Charlton Athletic predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Kaminski; Rankin-Costello, Jones, Burke, Bell; Chalobah, Coventry; Campbell, Carey, Grant; Leaburn
How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Charlton Athletic?
The match will be broadcast live in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports+.
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