The remaining teams in the 2026/27 EFL Cup have discovered their next opponents following the draw for the third round.
Premier League teams who are involved in European competition this season join the Carabao Cup at this stage.
And there are some standout ties, with the pick of the bunch being Tottenham’s trip to Anfield to face Liverpool. Spurs cruised into the third round with a 5-1 win over Charlton.
There are five confirmed all-Premier League ties and there could be a sixth, with Chelsea set to host old rivals Leeds United if they overcome Luton Town on Thursday.
Manchester United, meanwhile, host Brighton and Hove Albion having recently signed midfielder Carlos Baleba from the Seagulls.
Last season’s beaten finalists Arsenal will visit Ipswich Town, while defending champions Manchester City have an easier assignment against Championship opposition.
Full Carabao Cup third round draw: Confirmed ties
- Crystal Palace v Middlesbrough
- Manchester United v Brighton
- Manchester City v Norwich City
- Sunderland v Hull City
- Ipswich Town v Arsenal
- Coventry City v Aston Villa
- Bournemouth v Lincoln City
- Liverpool v Tottenham
- Chelsea or Luton v Leeds United
- Millwall v Newcastle United
- Fleetwood Town v Sheffield United
- Everton v Wolves
- Leyton Orient v Bradford City
- Reading v Brentford
- Peterborough United v Barnsley
- West Ham United v Fulham or AFC Wimbledon
When is the EFL Cup third round 2026/27?
The EFL Cup fixtures will take place across the weeks starting September 7 and 14.
Where to watch the EFL Cup: TV channel, live online stream
Most games are on Sky Plus, with select matches on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Ultra and ITV 1.
Via Now TV, Sky Sports costs £14.99 for a day membership, £27.99 a month for a 12-month membership or £34.99 a month with no contract.
Streaming is available on a vast variety of devices via the Sky Go app, ITV’s website and the ITVX app.
EFL Cup draw: How are Premier League teams affected?
The eight clubs playing in the Champions League or Europa League could not face each other in round three of the EFL Cup because of European scheduling.
Before the main draw, a pre-draw decided whether each of those eight teams would be at home or away.
The eight ties involving those teams were decided first in the main draw, which was not split into northern and southern sections.
Full Carabao Cup schedule 2026/27
Here’s the schedule for this season’s competition after the second round, including the weeks in which each round will take place.
The final is on Sunday, March 21, 2027.
| Round | Week |
|---|---|
| Three | September 7 and 14, 2026 |
| Four | October 26, 2026 |
| Five | December 14, 2026 |
| Semi-final first leg | January 11, 2027 |
| Semi-final second leg | February 1, 2027 |
| Final | March 21, 2027 |
