2026–27 Carabao Cup Fourth Round Draw: Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea Learn Fates

A mouthwatering clash between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield headlines Wednesday’s Carabao Cup fourth round draw.

The proceedings kicked off shortly after Manchester United were shockingly eliminated by Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford. Fabian Hürzeler’s side became the second to last team to punch its ticket to the last 16, joining the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea in the fourth round.

Defending cup holders Manchester City, who take on Norwich City on Thursday, are expected to be the final club advancing in the competition. The winner of that fixture gets to face Brighton in the next round.

All eyes will undoubtedly be on Chelsea’s trip to Merseyside, though. The Blues were not scheduled to take on Andoni Iraola’s men until December, but now get a crack at the Reds two months earlier than expected.

A London derby is also in the cards between Fulham and Crystal Palace. Arsenal, meanwhile, get the pleasure of taking on League Two side Fleetwood Town. The Gunners are the only Premier League side not playing another Premier League side in the fourth round.

Take a look at the full draw below.

2026–27 Carabao Cup Fourth Round Draw

Cole Palmer, Milos Kerkez — Chelsea and Liverpool will meet in October, two months earlier than planned. | Peter Powell/AFP/Getty Images

Fleetwood Town vs. Arsenal
Manchester City/Norwich City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
Everton vs. Newcastle United
Sunderland vs. Brentford
Liverpool vs. Chelsea
Bradford City vs. Peterborough
Fulham vs. Crystal Palace
Bournemouth vs. Aston Villa

2026–27 Carabao Cup Round Dates

Carabao Cup ball — The 67th League Cup campaign is well underway. | Leila Coker/Getty Images

Round	Date (Week of)
First Round	Aug. 6
Second Round	Aug. 25
Third Round	Sept. 8, Sept. 15
Fourth Round	Oct. 26
Quaterfinals	Dec. 14
Semifinals	Jan. 11, Feb. 1
Final	March 21

The Carabao Cup fourth round unfolds the week of Oct. 26. The competition returns three weeks after domestic action resumes following the newly combined September-October international break.

The quarterfinals then are set for the week of Dec. 14, right before the holiday madness kicks off in the Premier League and beyond. There’s little time to regroup from the action-packed Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s fixtures before the first leg of the semifinals kicks off on Jan. 11.

A lengthy layoff forces the semifinalists to wait until Feb. 1 to play the second leg of their respective ties. The two winning teams will punch their tickets to Wembley Stadium on March 21.

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