Carabao Cup Third-Round Draw: Time, TV, and the Ties We’re All Waiting For

• Draw set for Wednesday 26 August, around 10.15pm BST after Preston v Everton
• Live on Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Football and via Sky Go
• Third-round ties to be played midweek across 7 and 14 September

This is the point in the Carabao Cup where the big hitters stride in and the banana skins start piling up. Holders Manchester City join the party alongside the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United as we find out who’s off to where in Round Three. If you’re weighing up form and fancy a flutter, our guide to the best football betting sites is a handy starting point.

When and How to Watch the Draw

The third-round draw is scheduled for Wednesday 26 August and will follow the conclusion of Preston North End v Everton, which kicks off at 8pm BST. Expect the draw to begin at roughly 10.15pm BST. You can watch it live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, with subscribers able to stream via the Sky Go app.

How the Third-Round Draw Works

Before the main business, there’s a quick pre-draw to decide whether the eight clubs competing in Europe this season start home or away. That comes before Preston v Everton on Sky Sports. Once that’s boxed off, the main draw begins: the first eight ties will feature those European entrants, who cannot face each other at this stage, each drawn against a side from a separate bowl. The remaining eight ties are then drawn as normal.

From Round Three onwards there’s no North/South split, so expect a few long treks on a Tuesday night. Among those already through from Round Two are Norwich, Middlesbrough, Barnsley, Sheffield United, Lincoln, Millwall, Fleetwood, Ipswich, Coventry, Wolves, West Ham, Reading, Hull, Leyton Orient, Peterborough, Brentford and Leeds, with several ties still to be decided on the night.

The third round itself is slated to be played across consecutive weeks, with midweek, single-leg fixtures on or around 7 September and 14 September. It’s a classic balancing act for managers juggling European travels and domestic ambitions—rotate too much and you’re out, go too strong and you’re knackered by Sunday. Either way, we’re set for drama.

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