Carabao Cup Third Round Draw: Liverpool Host Tottenham in Marquee Clash as Champions City Face Norwich

The rigorous and unpredictable route to Wembley Stadium has officially begun to take shape. Following the conclusion of Wednesday evening’s dramatic second-round fixtures, the English Football League (EFL) conducted the eagerly anticipated draw for the third round of the 2026/27 Carabao Cup. The event delivered a mouth-watering array of domestic ties, headlined by a massive heavyweight clash between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield.

With the introduction of a new seeding structure designed to navigate the complexities of an expanded European calendar, the third-round draw promises up to six all-Premier League encounters. As the competition welcomes the top-flight clubs involved in European action, the stakes have been immediately elevated for the early stages of the season’s first major piece of domestic silverware.

The Headline Act: Liverpool and Tottenham Renew Rivalry

Undoubtedly, the standout fixture of the third round will take place on Merseyside, where Liverpool are set to welcome Tottenham Hotspur. The draw sets up an early elimination scenario for two clubs harbouring genuine ambitions of a deep cup run.

For Spurs, the trip to Anfield represents a formidable challenge and the rekindling of a recent Carabao Cup rivalry. The North London club travels to face Liverpool in the competition for the second time in just three seasons, desperately seeking to avenge their 4-1 aggregate defeat to the Reds in the semi-finals of the 2024/25 tournament. Tottenham secured their place in the third round with a commanding 5-1 victory over Charlton Athletic on Wednesday, a match highlighted by summer acquisition Sávio opening his goalscoring account for the club in spectacular fashion. Liverpool, having received a bye through the second round due to their European commitments, will view the home tie as the perfect opportunity to lay down an early marker against top-tier opposition under the iconic Anfield lights.

A Paradigm Shift: The New Seeding System

The mechanics of this year’s third-round draw were fundamentally altered by the newly expanded formats of UEFA club competitions. Due to severe scheduling clashes between the opening League Phase rounds of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League and the traditional Carabao Cup third-round dates, the EFL implemented a unique seeding system for the 2026/27 campaign.

The eight English clubs participating in the Champions League and Europa League, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Sunderland, were explicitly seeded to ensure they could not be drawn against one another. A pre-draw was held prior to Everton’s televised match on Wednesday to dictate whether these eight seeded clubs would play at home or away, before the main draw alternated between separate bowls to finalise the pairings.

Notably absent from this seeded protection were Brighton & Hove Albion. Despite Fabian Hürzeler’s side qualifying for the UEFA Conference League, the league phase of that specific tournament does not commence until October. Furthermore, the Seagulls are still navigating their play-off tie against Norwegian outfit Tromso, which remained deadlocked at 0-0 heading into Thursday’s second leg. Consequently, Brighton were placed into the unseeded pool, leading to a daunting trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.

A New Era for the Defending Champions

For Manchester City, the third round marks the beginning of their League Cup defence. The Citizens lifted the famous three-handled trophy in March following a gritty victory over Arsenal at Wembley, propelled by a crucial brace from highly-rated academy graduate Nico O’Reilly. Only Liverpool have ever lifted the famous trophy more times than Manchester City, who have won it on nine separate occasions since the competition’s inception in 1960.

However, the Manchester City that takes to the pitch next month will look fundamentally different from the side that conquered Wembley. The club is currently navigating a highly publicised transition following the historic departure of legendary manager Pep Guardiola. New manager Enzo Maresca, who has taken over in the hot seat to usher in a new era at the Etihad, will manage his first domestic cup fixture for the club when they host Championship side Norwich City at the Etihad Stadium. City boast an imperious home record against the Canaries, having not tasted defeat against them in Manchester in their last five meetings dating back to before 2013.

Premier League Heavyweights Navigate Tricky Ties

Elsewhere in the draw, Arsenal have been handed a difficult assignment as they travel to Portman Road to face newly promoted Premier League side Ipswich Town.

Aston Villa are preparing for a fierce all-Midlands derby against Championship contenders Coventry City at the CBS Arena. Meanwhile, Sunderland will host recently promoted Premier League outfit Hull City at the Stadium of Light.

Second-Round Drama and Unresolved Fixtures

The backdrop to Wednesday night’s draw was provided by a series of thrilling second-round matches across the country. Everton breezed into the third round with a deeply impressive 4-0 thrashing of Preston North End at Deepdale. Promising striker Thierno Barry was the undisputed star of the evening, registering a clinical hat-trick with goals in the 25th, 59th, and 70th minutes, before Brennan Johnson added a fourth in the 72nd minute to complete the comprehensive rout. The Toffees have been rewarded with a home tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Goodison Park, ensuring yet another all-Premier League clash.

Newcastle United narrowly avoided a potential giant-killing upset, edging past West Bromwich Albion 3-2 at St James’ Park. The Magpies were heavily reliant on an explosive cameo from winger Harvey Barnes, who grabbed a sensational brace off the bench to secure their progression and spare their blushes. Their reward is a demanding trip to the capital to face a typically hostile crowd at Millwall’s stadium, The Den.

The magic of the cup was also evident at Valley Parade, where League Two Bradford City produced a magnificent defensive display to hold Championship side Burnley to a 0-0 draw after 90 minutes. The Bantams subsequently triumphed 4-2 in the ensuing penalty shootout, rewarding their dedicated supporters with an away tie against Leyton Orient in the third round.

As the dust settles on the draw, two fixtures remain incomplete pending Thursday evening’s results. Chelsea welcome Luton Town to Stamford Bridge; the victor of that clash will earn the right to host Leeds United. Additionally, West Ham United are patiently waiting to discover their opponents, drawing a home tie against the winner of the London derby between Fulham and AFC Wimbledon.

Underdogs and Lower League Dreamers

The third round is not exclusively reserved for the elite, as several lower-league clubs will look to create memorable cup upsets. League Two Bradford City, fresh from their heroics against Burnley, travel to Brisbane Road to face League One Leyton Orient. Reading, who secured a penalty shootout victory over Bromley, are set to host Premier League outfit Brentford. Elsewhere, League One Peterborough United take on Barnsley, while Fleetwood Town welcome Sheffield United to Highbury Stadium in what promises to be a fiercely contested encounter.

The Carabao Cup third round is scheduled to be played in the weeks commencing September 8 and September 15, with the exact dates dictated by the European commitments of the seeded sides.

Carabao Cup Third Round Draw (2026/27)

Ties to be played across the weeks commencing 8 September and 15 September.