2026-27 Carabao Cup Third Round Draw and Fixture Schedule

The third round of the 2026-27 Carabao Cup is scheduled for a draw on Wednesday, August 26. This phase introduces the remaining Premier League teams into the competition, including Arsenal, Manchester City, and Manchester United.

Most top-flight clubs have progressed to this stage, with only Nottingham Forest knocked out by Leeds United. The full lineup of third-round fixtures is now confirmed.

Details of the Draw

The draw took place after the final second-round match between Preston North End and Everton. Unlike earlier rounds, the third-round draw is open without northern or southern restrictions, allowing any team to face another regardless of location.

A pre-draw had already been done before Preston vs. Everton to assign home and away statuses for clubs involved in European competitions. This step helped avoid pairing those clubs against each other and prevented scheduling conflicts.

Third Round Matchups

• Crystal Palace (PL) vs. Middlesbrough (CH)
• Man United (PL) vs. Brighton (PL)
• Man City (PL) vs. Norwich City (CH)
• Sunderland (PL) vs. Hull City (PL)
• Ipswich Town (PL) vs. Arsenal (PL)
• Coventry City (PL) vs. Aston Villa (PL)
• Bournemouth (PL) vs. Lincoln City
• Liverpool (PL) vs. Tottenham (PL)
• Chelsea/Luton Town vs. Leeds United (PL)
• Millwall (CH) vs. Newcastle (PL)
• Fleetwood Town (L2) vs. Sheffield United (CH)
• Everton (PL) vs. Wolves (CH)
• Leyton Orient (L1) vs. Bradford City (L1)
• Reading (L1) vs. Brentford (PL)
• Peterborough United vs. Barnsley (L1)
• West Ham (CH) vs. Fulham/AFC Wimbledon

Ball Numbers Assigned to Clubs

• Bournemouth
• Arsenal
• Aston Villa
• Crystal Palace
• Man City
• Man United
• Liverpool
• Sunderland
• Barnsley
• Brentford
• Brighton
• Coventry
• Fleetwood Town
• Hull City
• Ipswich Town
• Leeds United
• Leyton Orient
• Lincoln City
• Middlesbrough
• Millwall
• Norwich City
• Peterborough
• Reading
• Sheffield United
• West Ham
• Wolves
• Bradford City / Burnley
• Newcastle / West Brom
• Tottenham / Charlton Athletic
• Preston North End / Everton
• Chelsea / Luton Town
• Fulham / AFC Wimbledon

Schedule for Third Round Matches

The third-round games will take place during the weeks starting September 7 and September 14. Kickoff times remain unconfirmed as the fixtures await finalization following the draw.

• Tuesday, September 8: Games TBD
• Wednesday, September 9: Games TBD
• Thursday, September 10: Games TBD
• Tuesday, September 15: Games TBD
• Wednesday, September 16: Games TBD
• Thursday, September 17: Games TBD