Carabao Cup Third Round Draw: Fixtures as Premier League Teams Join the 2026-27 Competition
The draw for the third round of the 2026-27 Carabao Cup took place on Wednesday, August 26. This round marks the entry of the remaining Premier League clubs, including big names like Arsenal, Manchester City, and Manchester United.
Most top-tier teams have advanced to this stage, with Nottingham Forest being one of the few Premier League sides knocked out earlier by fellow top-flight club Leeds United. The complete third-round matchups are now set as all qualifying clubs prepare for the knockout phase.
Details of the Third Round Draw
The draw occurred after the last second-round tie between Preston North End and Everton finished. Unlike previous rounds, the third round draw is not separated into northern and southern sections. Every team can be drawn against any other club remaining in the competition.
A pre-draw was held before the Preston vs. Everton game to decide which European-participating clubs would host their matches. This measure aimed to prevent those clubs from facing each other too early and to avoid scheduling conflicts.
Third Round Matchups
- Crystal Palace (PL) vs. Middlesbrough (CH)
- Manchester United (PL) vs. Brighton (PL)
- Manchester 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 for Draw
- 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
Fixtures are scheduled across two weeks, starting September 7 and continuing through September 14. The exact kick-off times are yet to be confirmed.
- Tuesday, September 8: To Be Decided
- Wednesday, September 9: To Be Decided
- Thursday, September 10: To Be Decided
- Tuesday, September 15: To Be Decided
- Wednesday, September 16: To Be Decided
- Thursday, September 17: To Be Decided
