The 2025-26 Carabao Cup is about to get even more interesting as the remainder of the Premier League clubs prepare to enter the third round stage.
With teams such as defending EFL Cup champions Newcastle United, Liverpool and Arsenal in the hat, there is a keen sense of intrigue around the draw for the next round.
The Carabao Cup's third round draw is set to reveal thrilling match-ups that both fans and punters are keen to explore. By signing up with the top betting sites in Kenya offering welcome bonuses, enthusiasts can make strategic bets while taking full advantage of these promotions, enhancing their engagement with the cup's future fixtures.
Here, GOAL brings you all you need to know about the upcoming draw for the third round of the Carabao Cup.
When is the Carabao Cup third-round draw? Date & time
| Date: | Wednesday, August 27, 2025 |
| Time: | 10:00 pm BST / 5:00 pm ET |
| Where to watch: | Sky Sports, Paramount+ |
The third-round draw is set for Wednesday, August 27, and will be held right after Manchester United's second-round clash away at Grimsby Town, which kicks off at 8 pm BST. Hence, the draw will start after 10 pm BST.
Before the action kicks off, there’ll be a special pre-draw to decide whether the eight clubs involved in the Champions League and Europa League will be handed home advantage or sent on the road.
Where to watch the Carabao Cup draw - live stream info
The Carabao Cup third-round draw will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, with Paramount+ showing it in the USA.
The draw will occur during the coverage of Manchester United's second-round clash away at Grimsby Town, which is being shown live on Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Ultra HDR in the UK.
Viewers in the U.S. will be able to stream that particular game live on Paramount+.
Which teams are in the draw for the Carabao Cup third round?
A total of 32 teams will be involved in the Carabao Cup third-round draw. The 23 winners from the second-round games will be joined by nine Premier League teams involved in Europe, including Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Newcastle United.
The full list of ball numbers is as follows:
- Arsenal
- Aston Villa
- Barnsley
- Bradford City
- Brentford
- Burnley
- Cambridge United
- Cardiff City
- Chelsea
- Crystal Palace
- Doncaster Rovers
- Huddersfield Town
- Lincoln City
- Liverpool
- Manchester City
- Millwall
- Newcastle United
- Nottingham Forest
- Port Vale
- Reading
- Sheffield Wednesday
- Southampton
- Swansea City
- Tottenham Hotspur
- Wigan Athletic
- Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Wrexham
- Wycombe Wanderers
- Everton or Mansfield Town
- Fulham or Bristol City
- Grimsby Town or Manchester United
- Oxford United or Brighton & Hove Albion
Draw procedure
For the main draw, two separate pots will be in use – one containing the eight sides involved in the Champions League and Europa League, and the other holding the remaining 24 clubs.
Because the European entrants are split into a separate bowl, a pre-draw will be carried out beforehand to lock in whether each of the eight UCL/UEL representatives will be handed a home tie or sent on their travels.
When it comes to the draw itself, the opening eight fixtures will be formed by alternating picks from Pot 1 and Pot 2, with the home or away status of the European sides already determined by that earlier pre-draw.
Once those ties are settled, the remaining eight matches will be selected from Pot 2 alone.
From this stage onwards, there's no longer a north/south split – the competition opens up nationwide.
When will the Carabao Cup third round be played?
The Carabao Cup third round will be staged over a two-week stretch to work around the Champions League and Europa League schedule.
The opening round of fixtures is penciled in for the week beginning September 15, 2025, but sides tied up in European action during that spell will be pushed back to the following week, kicking off in the window starting September 22, 2025.