The Carabao Cup third round draw takes place on Wednesday, August 26, with Manchester United and Manchester City among the Premier League sides entering the competition.
Draw date and time
The draw will begin at approximately 10.30pm after the televised second round fixture between Preston North End and Everton finishes.
Premier League sides involved in European competition, including Manchester United and defending Carabao Cup champions Manchester City, will enter the fray in the third round. These elite clubs were granted automatic passage through the opening two rounds to help in managing their congested fixture lists during the early weeks of the season.
How to watch the draw
Viewers in the United Kingdom can follow the draw live on television via Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football. The draw will also be available to stream at no cost on the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.
Prior to the main draw, a preliminary draw will determine whether each of the eight Champions League and Europa League clubs joining the competition will play at home or away, as they cannot face each other owing to their European fixtures. This will occur live on Sky Sports Football ahead of Preston vs Everton. Its aim is to streamline the main draw after the match, enabling presenters to move seamlessly between Bowl 1 and Bowl 2 without needing extra draws to allocate home advantage for those particular fixtures.
Ball numbers and fixture dates
The ball numbers allocated to every remaining club in the competition will be revealed on the morning of the draw, heightening the anticipation ahead of the evening's event.
The third round ties will be spread across two separate weeks to accommodate the demanding European football schedule. These knockout matches are set to take place during the weeks commencing September 7 and September 14, delivering a packed programme of midweek football.
Reigning champions
City lifted the trophy last season after beating Arsenal 2-0 in a thrilling showdown at Wembley Stadium. The two sides that successfully progress through this year's cup competition will meet in the final at Wembley on Sunday, March 21, 2027.
