Carabao Cup third round draw explained and ball numbers released
The draw for the Carabao Cup’s third round involves 32 clubs: 23 winners from the second round plus nine Premier League clubs that are competing in UEFA competitions this season.
Two bowls are used in the draw:
– Bowl 1 contains the UEFA Champions League (UCL) and UEFA Europa League (UEL) clubs.
– Bowl 2 contains the remaining 24 clubs (the UEFA Conference League clubs, including Crystal Palace should they qualify). Note that the Conference League doesn’t start until October, so it does not affect this draw.
A pre-draw will determine home or away for each of the eight UCL/UEL teams, and this will be shown live on Sky Sports in the build-up to the Grimsby Town vs Manchester United tie.
In the main draw, the first eight ties are drawn by alternating between one club from Bowl 1 and one club from Bowl 2, with the home/away status of the UCL/UEL team already predetermined by the pre-draw. After those eight ties are formed, the remaining eight ties are drawn from Bowl 2 only.
When does the third round take place?
As last season, the third round is split across weeks commencing 15 September and 22 September. This is aligned with the UCL group-stage schedule, MD1 of this season’s UCL is set for 16-18 September, so the Carabao Cup tie will be scheduled for w/c 22 September.
Tottenham’s recent record in the third round
– 2024/25: Coventry City 1-2 Spurs – Spurs reached the semi-finals
– 2023/24: Fulham 1-1 Spurs (Spurs lost on penalties)
– 2022/23: Forest 2-0 Spurs
– 2021/22: Wolves 2-2 Spurs (Spurs won on penalties) – reached the semi-finals
– 2020/21: Chelsea 1-1 Spurs* (Spurs won on penalties) – Spurs reached the final
*This was in the fourth round; Spurs received a bye against Leyton Orient in the third round
How many times have we won the League Cup?
Tottenham Hotspur have won the competition four times: 1971, 1973, 1999 and 2008.
Ball numbers for the third round draw
1 Arsenal
2 Aston Villa
3 Barnsley
4 Bradford City
5 Brentford
6 Burnley
7 Cambridge United
8 Cardiff City
9 Chelsea
10 Crystal Palace
11 Doncaster Rovers
12 Huddersfield Town
13 Lincoln City
14 Liverpool
15 Manchester City
16 Millwall
17 Newcastle United
18 Nottingham Forest
19 Port Vale
20 Reading
21 Sheffield Wednesday
22 Southampton
23 Swansea City
24 Tottenham Hotspur
25 Wigan Athletic
26 Wolverhampton Wanderers
27 Wrexham
28 Wycombe Wanderers
29 Everton or Mansfield Town
30 Fulham or Bristol City
31 Grimsby Town or Manchester United
32 Oxford United or Brighton & Hove Albion
Additional context and value notes
– This draw structure aims to balance opportunities across top-flight and lower-league clubs, while accommodating teams involved in European competition.
– For Tottenham fans, the third round offers a chance to test themselves against a range of opponents, with the potential for big ties or intriguing fixtures early in the knockout stage.
– The scheduling around the UCL MD1 ensures domestic cup commitments fit alongside European campaigns, particularly for clubs involved in European competition.
Summary
The third round draw for the Carabao Cup is set to feature 32 clubs split into two bowls, with an initial home/away pre-draw for UCL/UEL teams and a main draw that alternates between bowls before finishing with Bowl 2-only ties. The third round is planned for mid to late September, and Tottenham’s recent history in this round shows a pattern of deep runs in several campaigns. Tottenham have won the League Cup four times in their history. Fans can look forward to a mix of glamour ties and potential upsets as the competition advances.