Carabao Cup Draw: European Giants Await Third Round

The Carabao Cup finally opens its doors to the heavyweights tonight. The third-round draw will complete the Premier League line-up, with England’s European contingent stepping into the competition and the calendar already creaking around them.

Holders Manchester City join Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa in the hat, along with Bournemouth, Sunderland, Brighton and Crystal Palace. All nine could be juggling European nights with domestic cup ties by the time this round kicks off.

Before any balls are drawn, though, there is admin of a very modern kind.

The pre-draw that shapes the whole thing

Because of the expanded Champions League and Europa League formats, the EFL has been forced into a two-step process.

First comes a pre-draw. That early procedure decides whether the eight clubs in the Champions League and Europa League will play at home or away in round three. It takes place before Preston North End’s second-round tie against Everton at Deepdale.

Only once that is settled can the main event begin.

The EFL has been clear about why the extra layer is needed. With Uefa fixtures locked in and unmovable, the Carabao Cup has to bend. The governing body’s stance is simple: Champions League and Europa League clubs cannot face one another in round three. That way, every tie can be staged in one of the two designated weeks without tearing up the domestic schedule.

So the first eight ties drawn will all feature those European clubs, locked into home or away status from the pre-draw, and each paired with a side from a separate bowl. Only after those fixtures are confirmed will the remaining eight ties be drawn in the traditional way.

From round three onwards, the old North–South divide disappears. It’s a straight national draw.

A competition stretched across two weeks

The calendar squeeze has split the third round in two.

Round three will be played across consecutive weeks, starting Monday 7 September and Monday 14 September. The opening week clashes with the first round of Champions League fixtures, so the five clubs in that competition – Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and Aston Villa – must play their Carabao Cup ties in the second week.

The reverse applies for the Europa League sides. Bournemouth, Sunderland and Crystal Palace, whose European campaign begins in the week of Monday 14 September, will play their Carabao Cup matches in the first week.

Brighton’s involvement depends on whether they reach the Conference League, but they are already listed among the potential European contingent.

Tonight’s ties before the balls are drawn

The draw will not wait for the entire second round to finish, but it will pause for one match in particular.

Preston v Everton, live on Sky Sports, kicks off at 8pm BST. The main draw follows that game, expected to start at around 10.15pm BST. Coverage begins at 7pm, with the pre-draw likely around 7.30pm.

Four second-round fixtures shape the build-up tonight:

• Bradford City v Burnley
• Newcastle United v West Bromwich Albion
• Preston North End v Everton
• Tottenham Hotspur v Charlton Athletic

Two more follow tomorrow, shifted for television as Fulham and Chelsea open their Monday Night Football campaigns:

• Chelsea v Luton Town
• Fulham v AFC Wimbledon

Those results will complete the 32-club field.

How to watch the draw

The third-round draw will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football after Preston v Everton. Subscribers can also stream it via the Sky Go app.

For clubs and fans alike, it is the moment when the domestic season suddenly looks a lot busier.

Who’s in the hat? Ball numbers confirmed

The full list of ball numbers for the third-round draw is as follows:

• 1. AFC Bournemouth
• 2. Arsenal
• 3. Aston Villa
• 4. Crystal Palace
• 5. Manchester City
• 6. Manchester United
• 7. Liverpool
• 8. Sunderland
• 9. Barnsley
• 10. Brentford
• 11. Brighton & Hove Albion
• 12. Coventry City
• 13. Fleetwood Town
• 14. Hull City
• 15. Ipswich Town
• 16. Leeds United
• 17. Leyton Orient
• 18. Lincoln City
• 19. Middlesbrough
• 20. Millwall
• 21. Norwich City
• 22. Peterborough United
• 23. Reading
• 24. Sheffield United
• 25. West Ham United
• 26. Wolverhampton Wanderers
• 27. Bradford City / Burnley
• 28. Newcastle United / West Bromwich Albion
• 29. Tottenham Hotspur / Charlton Athletic
• 30. Preston North End / Everton
• 31. Chelsea / Luton Town
• 32. Fulham / AFC Wimbledon

Some of those names forced their way through dramatic second-round nights.

Leeds roll on, Brentford hit six, Fleetwood fly the flag

Last night’s ties delivered a familiar mix of jeopardy and statement wins.

Leeds United enjoyed another profitable trip to Nottingham Forest, winning at the City Ground for the second time in four days. Hull City survived a scare at Stoke, edging through 5–4 on penalties after a 1–1 draw.

Fleetwood Town stand alone as the only fourth-tier side left in the competition after thumping Shrewsbury Town 4–0. Brentford rediscovered their ruthless side, hammering Birmingham City 6–1 away from home.

The full set of second-round results:

Northern Section

• Doncaster Rovers 1–3 Middlesbrough
• Barnsley 3–2 Crewe Alexandra
• Blackburn Rovers 1–2 Sheffield United
• Blackpool 1–4 Lincoln City
• Fleetwood Town 4–0 Shrewsbury Town
• Sheffield Wednesday 0–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
• Stoke City 1–1 (4–5 pens) Hull City
• Nottingham Forest 0–2 Leeds United

Southern Section

• Cardiff City 1–2 Norwich City
• Cambridge United 0–1 Millwall
• Ipswich Town 3–1 Leicester City
• Plymouth Argyle 2–4 Coventry City
• Southampton 1–4 West Ham United
• Stevenage 0–3 Reading
• Walsall 0–0 (5–6 pens) Leyton Orient
• Watford 1–5 Peterborough United
• Birmingham City 1–6 Brentford

The field is set, the rules are tight, and the schedule is unforgiving. By the time the balls stop rolling tonight, England’s European hopefuls will know exactly how crowded their autumn really is.