It was a much earlier return to competitive action for Football League sides on Saturday, with the first round ties of the Carabao Cup unconventionally kicking off in the first weekend of August ahead of their league curtain-raisers.
Six ties went the distance to a penalty shootout but there were very few shock results with 14 Sky Bet Championship outfits progressing unscathed.
The 11 Premier League teams who aren't involved in European competition enter at this stage of the competition, alongside the winners of the first round ties.
To ease travel demands, the draw was split into a north and south section with games taking place on the week commencing 24th August.
Northern section
Newly-promoted Hull City return to face Championship opponents when they head to 1962 winners Stoke City and Newcastle United, guided by new boss Matthias Jaissle, host West Bromwich Albion.
It's an all-Championship affair as Blackburn Rovers meet Sheffield United.
Middlesbrough will be aiming to claim their first major trophy since winning this competition in 2004 and they head to Doncaster Rovers while Nottingham Forest and Leeds United lock horns.
Crewe Alexandra haven't progressed past the second round since 2009 and they will hope history doesn't repeat itself at Barnsley.
Preston North End and Everton have a strong affiliation, with the former loaning the latter some of their upcoming stars in recent years including Anthony Gordon and Harrison Armstrong, and they come up against each other for the first time competitively since 2004.
Lincoln City are embarking on their first Championship season in over 60 years and they face Blackpool, Wolves are one of the favourites for the second-tier title and they head to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday while Fleetwood Town host Shrewsbury Town.
Bradford City were runners-up in 2013 and they will be looking to emulate those heroics but a tough test lies ahead as they welcome Burnley to West Yorkshire.
Southern section
Leyton Orient produced a fine display to overcome divisional rivals Oxford United on Saturday and they head to Walsall.
Ipswich Town and Leicester City were tussling for the Championship title in 2024 but now have contrasting ambitions just over two years on; the two meet at Portman Road.
Having reached the quarter-finals last term and narrowly being defeated by Chelsea, Cardiff City host Norwich City and it's a League One clash with Stevenage facing Reading.
Watford eased past Crawley Town last time out and they are back at Vicarage Road to face Peterborough United and the winner of tonight's game between Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City will welcome Coventry City to Devon.
Cambridge United boss Neil Harris faces his former employers in Millwall, two-time winners Birmingham City host Brentford while Championship promotion hopefuls Southampton and West Ham face off.
Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur both find themselves in unfamiliar territory, with the absence of European football meaning they enter at this stage and they are at home against Luton Town and Charlton Athletic respectively.
Draw in full
Northern section
Stoke City vs Hull City
Newcastle United vs West Bromwich Albion
Blackburn Rovers vs Sheffield United
Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United
Doncaster Rovers vs Middlesbrough
Barnsley vs Crewe Alexandra
Preston North End vs Everton
Blackpool vs Lincoln City
Sheffield Wednesday vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
Bradford City vs Burnley
Fleetwood Town vs Shrewsbury Town
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
Southampton vs West Ham
Watford vs Peterborough United
Fulham vs AFC Wimbledon
Plymouth Argyle/Exeter City vs Coventry City
Chelsea vs Luton Town
Tottenham Hotspur vs Charlton Athletic
