Everton’s Carabao Cup third-round meeting with Wolves has been pushed back by a week after Liverpool’s Champions League schedule created an unavoidable clash on Merseyside.
The fixture had originally been arranged for Wednesday, 9 September, but will now be played on Wednesday, 16 September, just over a week after the initial date.
The earlier slot had been selected because Liverpool were due to host Tottenham in the same competition during the following week. That match had initially been placed on 16 September after being selected for television coverage.
Scheduling the Everton-Wolves tie on 9 September appeared to provide the simplest solution. Wolves have Championship fixtures on 13 and 20 September, while Everton are due to play Premier League matches on 12 and 19 September, leaving limited room in the calendar.
However, the situation changed when UEFA confirmed the opening round of Champions League fixtures.
Liverpool were scheduled to begin their European campaign at Anfield against Atletico Madrid on 9 September, creating a direct clash with Everton’s planned home game against Wolves.
Merseyside Police does not permit Everton and Liverpool to stage home fixtures on the same evening because of the policing demands involved.
The EFL subsequently asked UEFA whether Liverpool’s Champions League match could be moved, but the request was rejected. European competition fixtures take priority, leaving the domestic cup schedule to be rearranged instead.
As a result, Everton will now host Wolves on 16 September. Liverpool’s Carabao Cup meeting with Tottenham has also been shifted forward by one day and will take place on Tuesday, 15 September.
The changes have created another scheduling problem for Wolves. Their Championship fixture against Portsmouth can no longer take place in September and has instead been moved to 20 October, after the season’s first international break.
The EFL has apologised to clubs and supporters for the late alterations, while expressing frustration that a solution could not be found through UEFA.
UEFA maintained that the conflict was identified only after the European fixture list had been finalised. With supporters potentially having already booked flights and accommodation for Champions League matches, the governing body said changing the Liverpool-Atletico fixture was no longer considered practical.
The episode highlights the increasing pressure on the English domestic calendar as expanded European competitions occupy more midweek dates.
The Carabao Cup has already had to adapt its draw process to prevent clubs involved in different UEFA competitions from creating further scheduling conflicts. Concerns had previously been raised that the additional European matches could also threaten the competition’s traditional two-legged semi-final format, although that structure remains in place.
For Everton and Wolves, however, the immediate consequence is another late change to an already congested September schedule.