When is the EFL Cup third-round draw?

The third-round draw for the 2026-27 Carabao Cup will occur on Wednesday, 26 August, following the conclusion of the match between Preston North End and Everton. This draw will involve nine Premier League clubs who are also participating in European football, alongside the 23 first-round winners from the English Football League.

Notable teams expected to join at this stage include Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Sunderland, Brighton, and Crystal Palace, as well as Crystal Palace, who are the winners of the Conference League. The draw will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, commencing immediately after the third-round match between Preston North End and Everton, which is scheduled to start at 20:00 BST.

Unlike the initial two rounds, the third round will not be regionalized, but prior to the match, there will be a pre-draw to determine home or away matchups for the eight Champions League and Europa League clubs involved. To prevent scheduling conflicts, these eight clubs will not be drawn against each other in round three. Upon completion of the draw, the first eight fixtures will be announced, featuring clubs from the Champions League and Europa League.

The remaining fixtures will be determined through an open draw, as typically done. Due to potential clashes with the early weeks of the Champions League and Europa League seasons, the third round is set to be played over two separate weeks. These weeks are scheduled for the periods commencing on Monday, 7 and Monday, 14 September 2026.