2025–26 Carabao Cup: When Is the Third Round Draw?

The first major piece of silverware on offer in English football is awarded in March.

The Carabao Cup was handed to a new champion last season. / IMAGO / Visionhaus

The 2025–26 Carabao Cup is underway as teams from the Premier League all the way down to League Two compete in England’s secondary cup competition.

While failing to match the prestige of the FA Cup, it remains a staple of the football calendar with a sizeable prize at its conclusion. For Premier League sides, it offers a genuine opportunity of major silverware and a memorable trip to Wembley Stadium. For those in lower divisions, it serves as a battleground for giant killings and can provide a much-needed cash injection.

Liverpool are the competition’s most successful club with ten past titles to their name and they have featured in three of the last four finals. However, despite their Premier League success, the Reds were unable to defend their crown last season.

Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are among those aiming to close the gap between themselves and Liverpool, while a host of sides will be aiming to replicate Newcastle United in 2024–25 by winning the trophy for the first time this term.

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Carabao Cup 2025–26 Round Dates

Round	Date
Preliminary round	July 29–August 5, 2025
First round	August 12–19, 2025
Second round	w/c August 25, 2025
Third round	w/c September 15 and w/c September 22, 2025
Fourth round	w/c October 27, 2025
Fifth round	w/c December 15, 2025
Semi-finals	w/c January 12 and w/c February 2, 2025
Final	March 22, 2026

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Carabao Cup Second Round Fixtures

Fixture
Fulham vs. Bristol City
Norwich City vs. Southampton
Oxford United vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
Reading vs. AFC Wimbledon
Bournemouth vs. Brentford
Millwall vs. Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. West Ham United
Swansea City vs. Plymouth Argyle
Bromley vs. Wycombe Wanderers
Cardiff City vs. Cheltenham Town
Cambridge United vs. Charlton Athletic
Burton Albion vs. Lincoln City
Accrington Stanley vs. Doncaster Rovers
Wigan Athletic vs. Stockport County
Stoke City vs. Bradford City
Burnley vs. Derby County
Sunderland vs. Huddersfield Town/Leicester City
Birmingham City vs. Port Vale
Preston North End vs. Wrexham
Barnsley vs. Rotherham United
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Leeds United
Everton vs. Mansfield Town
Grimsby Town vs. Manchester United

• Full Carabao Cup 2025–26 schedule can be found here.

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When Is the Carabao Cup Third Round Draw?

The Carabao Cup second round fixtures will be played week commencing Aug. 25, at which point the nine remaining Premier League teams not yet involved—owing to playing in European competition—will be entered.

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What Time Is the Carabao Cup Third Round Draw?

The draw is expected to take place immediately after the conclusion of Grimsby Town’s clash with Manchester United on Wednesday night, potentially around 10pm if the game does not go to a penalty shootout.

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When Is the 2026 Carabao Cup Final?

The Carabao Cup final will once again be staged at Wembley Stadium and this year’s showpiece event will take place on March 22, 2026.

This is a week later than last year’s final and will force some rescheduling in the English football calendar, with the Premier League most likely to be affected by the big match.

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Who Was the Last Team to Win the Carabao Cup?

Newcastle United won last season’s Carabao Cup. / IMAGO / Sportsphoto

Newcastle ended their agonising 70-year wait for domestic silverware by beating Liverpool in last season’s Carabao Cup final, with Dan Burn and Alexander Isak scoring in a 2–1 victory at Wembley for the Magpies.

Including the Reds, Newcastle beat five Premier League sides en route to the title. They conquered Nottingham Forest in the second round, Chelsea in the fourth, Brentford in the last eight and then Arsenal in the semi-final before triumphing over Liverpool.

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