2026-27 Carabao Cup Third Round Draw and Fixture Schedule
The draw for the third round of the 2026-27 Carabao Cup was held on Wednesday, August 26. This stage welcomes the remaining Premier League teams, including big names like Arsenal, Manchester City, and Manchester United.
Most top-flight clubs have advanced to this round, with only Nottingham Forest being knocked out by fellow Premier League side Leeds United. All clubs are now part of the knockout phase.
Third Round Draw Details
The draw took place after the final second-round match between Preston North End and Everton. Unlike earlier rounds, the draw is no longer divided by regional sections; teams can face any opponent in this round.
A pre-draw was conducted before the Preston vs. Everton game to set hosting duties for clubs involved in European competitions. This measure avoided pairing those clubs against each other and prevented scheduling clashes.
Matchups in the Third Round
- 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
Team Categories Explained
- PL: Premier League team
- CH: Championship team
- L1: League One team
- L2: League Two team
Ball Numbers for the Draw
- Bournemouth
- Arsenal
- Aston Villa
- Crystal Palace
- Manchester City
- Manchester 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 fixtures are set to take place during the weeks starting September 7 and September 14. Exact kickoff times are yet to be confirmed.
- Tuesday, September 8: TBD
- Wednesday, September 9: TBD
- Thursday, September 10: TBD
- Tuesday, September 15: TBD
- Wednesday, September 16: TBD
- Thursday, September 17: TBD
