The fixtures for the third round of the Carabao Cup have been confirmed, setting up several mouthwatering encounters following a thrilling conclusion to the second round.
England’s European campaigners Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest all joined the competition at this stage after receiving automatic byes.
One of the standout stories sees Grimsby Town, who stunned Manchester United in the second round, handed a tie against Sheffield Wednesday.
😳 ONE OF THE BIGGEST CUPSETS EVER! #EFL | #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/e8wMsNTqOR
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) August 27, 2025
Defending champions Newcastle United, who ended a 56-year wait for silverware by defeating Liverpool in last season’s final, will lock horns with Bradford City. Meanwhile, Liverpool have been drawn against Southampton.
Other ties include:
- Arsenal away to Port Vale
- Huddersfield against Manchester City
- Lincoln City taking on Chelsea
- A fierce South London derby between Crystal Palace and Millwall
- Brentford hosting Aston Villa in one of two all-Premier League fixtures.
The third round is slated for September, with matches spread across two weeks. Clubs involved in the Champions League and Europa League will play their games during the week commencing September 22, while the rest will feature from September 15.
In a nod to history, all past winners will sport a special sleeve patch on their kits this season, displaying the number of times they have lifted the trophy. Liverpool remain the record holders, with nine Carabao Cup triumphs to date.
The EFL confirmed that teams playing in European competitions were deliberately kept apart at this stage of the competition.
Carabao Cup: Third Round Full draw
Port Vale v Arsenal
Swansea v Nottingham Forest
Lincoln City v Chelsea
Tottenham v Doncaster
Brentford v Aston Villa
Huddersfield v Man City
Liverpool v Southampton
Newcastle v Bradford
Sheffield Wednesday v Grimsby
Wolves v Everton
Crystal Palace v Millwall
Burnley v Cardiff
Wrexham v Reading
Wigan v Wycombe
Barnsley v Brighton
Fulham v Cambridge