Carabao Cup Third Round: Big Hitters Arrive
The early rounds are almost done. The heavyweights are getting ready to walk in.
The Carabao Cup third round is looming, the stage where the Premier League’s biggest clubs finally join the party. Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool have all skipped the second round thanks to their European schedules and will enter directly in the last 32.
Chelsea and Tottenham do not have that luxury. They must first survive second-round ties this week to book their place alongside the rest.
When is the third-round draw?
The exact date and time are still to be confirmed, but the draw is expected to take place on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, after Preston vs Everton. That game kicks off at 8pm BST, so the draw will follow once the action at Deepdale is done.
Details on who will host the draw and which guests will be involved are set to be revealed closer to the night.
How to watch the draw
Sky Sports will carry the draw live, and subscribers can stream it on the Sky Go app.
For those who prefer rolling updates and instant reaction, Standard Sport will run a live blog covering every ball pulled out of the pot.
Who will be in the hat?
Thirty-two clubs will make up the third-round draw:
- The 23 winners from the second round
- The nine Premier League sides involved in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League this season
Because of the congested European calendar, those nine clubs will not be drawn against each other at this stage, and the third round will be spread across two midweeks.
Ball numbers for all teams will be confirmed on the morning of the draw, setting up the usual ritual of fans scanning the list and plotting dream ties or potential banana skins.
When will the third-round games be played?
The third-round fixtures are scheduled across back-to-back weeks, starting from September 7 and then continuing from September 14, as clubs attempt to balance domestic cup duty with league and European commitments.
The names are almost ready. The balls will soon be in the bowl. Now it’s just a question of who lands the glamour night – and who draws the away trip nobody wanted.
