Carabao Cup third-round draw ball numbers are confirmed as Arsenal, Man United and Liverpool enter the competition alongside 29 other clubs

The Carabao Cup third-round draw takes place on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, with Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool among the major Premier League clubs entering the competition after receiving byes because of their European commitments.

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The draw will be held following Preston North End’s second-round meeting with Everton, which kicks off at 8pm BST.

The English Football League confirmed that the draw will be broadcast live on Sky Sports after the conclusion of the match.

The third round will feature 32 teams, although several places remain dependent on the outcome of second-round ties involving Premier League clubs.

Chelsea face Luton Town, Tottenham Hotspur meet Charlton Athletic, Newcastle United take on West Bromwich Albion, while Fulham face AFC Wimbledon. Bradford City and Burnley are also competing for one place, as are Preston and Everton.

Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool are among the eight Premier League clubs entering at this stage because of their participation in UEFA competitions. The competition’s regulations allow clubs involved in European football to receive byes into the third round.

The third-round ties will be played across two weeks, beginning on 7 September and 14 September. The unusual scheduling is designed to accommodate European fixtures, with the EFL introducing additional draw conditions to prevent certain European clubs from being paired together.

The draw therefore carries the possibility of several intriguing Premier League meetings, although the identity of some clubs will not be known until the remaining second-round fixtures are completed.

The 32 ball numbers for the draw are:

• Bournemouth
• Arsenal
• Aston Villa
• Crystal Palace
• Manchester City
• Manchester United
• Liverpool
• Sunderland
• Barnsley
• Brentford
• Brighton
• Coventry City
• Fleetwood Town
• Hull City
• Ipswich Town
• Leeds United
• Leyton Orient
• Lincoln City
• Middlesbrough
• Millwall
• Peterborough United
• Reading
• Sheffield United
• West Ham United
• Wolverhampton Wanderers
• Bradford City or Burnley
• Newcastle United or West Bromwich Albion
• Tottenham Hotspur or Charlton Athletic
• Preston North End or Everton
• Chelsea or Luton Town
• Fulham or AFC Wimbledon

The presence of Premier League sides alongside Championship and lower-league opposition means the draw could produce some attractive ties, including the possibility of top-flight clubs being sent to challenging away grounds.

The competition has already produced notable results in its opening rounds, while the second round is being completed during the week beginning 24 August. The EFL’s published calendar places the fourth round in the week beginning 26 October, followed by the fifth round in December.

Manchester City enter the new campaign as defending champions after beating Arsenal 2-0 in the 2026 final, securing their ninth League Cup triumph.

For the clubs entering at the third-round stage, the competition offers an early opportunity to challenge for domestic silverware while also giving managers scope to rotate their squads.

The draw will ultimately determine whether the leading Premier League sides face one another or receive potentially favourable ties against lower-ranked opposition.

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With 32 clubs in the hat and several second-round results still to be settled, the third-round draw promises another significant step in the road towards the 2027 Carabao Cup final at Wembley.