West Ham United will face Southampton at St Mary's Stadium on Tuesday 25 August 2026 at 7.45pm BST. The Carabao Cup second-round tie follows West Ham's 3-1 win over Portsmouth and a disappointing 1-0 loss to Charlton Athletic in the Championship.
The Hammers kicked off the 2026/27 campaign with a record-setting crowd of 53,369 at St Mary's against Portsmouth, where Taty Castellanos scored a brace and Jarrod Bowen netted a stunning strike. The 3-1 victory secured a place in the second round, where the team now turns its attention to a hostile away fixture against their bitter rivals.
West Ham’s squad for the tie will feature forward Joël Piroe, who scored on his debut against Charlton, and new signings Arne Engels and Divine Mukasa, who also made their first appearances on Saturday. Midfielder Tomáš Souček will miss the match as he continues rehabilitation for an ankle ligament injury sustained at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Pablo Felipe is still recovering from injury, while Keiber Lamadrid returns to the bench after a knock suffered against 1. FC Magdeburg in pre-season. The club’s medical staff are monitoring Souček’s progress at Rush Green training ground.
Southampton enter the game on the back of a 3-1 win over Stoke City, with Cyle Larin opening the scoring inside eight minutes and former Hammer Divin Mubama adding a late goal on his home debut. Ryan Manning sealed the victory with a stoppage-time penalty. The Saints have also won 2-0 at Colchester United in the first round of the Carabao Cup. Defenders Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Flynn Downes, both former West Ham players, will be key to the Saints’ defence.
Travel to St Mary's is best by public transport. From London, trains leave Waterloo Station every 30 minutes at 0.05 and 0.35 past the hour, taking 75 minutes to Southampton Central. A 15-minute walk or a £2 shuttle bus from Central Station to the stadium is available. For those driving, the City Council car parks at Bedford Place, Grosvenor Square, West Park Road, Marlands and Eastgate are recommended.
The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+ in the UK. West Ham will not use VAR, but goal-line technology will be operational. If the score is level after 90 minutes, the tie will be decided by a penalty shoot-out with no extra-time. Up to nine substitutes may be named, with five used and three substitution opportunities, plus one concussion or additional substitute as per IFAB protocol.
West Ham United maintains a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination. The club encourages supporters to report any incidents via the club’s reporting procedures or by emailing the club. The club’s commitment to equality, equity, diversity and inclusion is recognised by the Premier League Advanced level Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard.
