English football's League Cup competition continues to build momentum this season, with the fourth round draw now set to take place next week following the completion of the third round fixtures. Fans hoping to see which clubs will meet in the next stage of the Carabao Cup can mark their calendars for Wednesday, September 16, 2026, with the draw expected to begin around 10.15pm BST, immediately after the conclusion of the Manchester United versus Brighton tie.
Because several Premier League clubs are involved in European competition this term, the third round has been spread across two separate weeks rather than played in a single midweek slot, as has often been the case in previous seasons. The first batch of matches gets underway on Tuesday night, when Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Sunderland—each competing in the Europa League this season—host Lincoln, Middlesbrough and Hull City respectively.
The following evening brings one of the more eye-catching fixtures of the round, as Chelsea welcome Leeds United to Stamford Bridge in a renewal of a rivalry with plenty of history behind it. The remaining top-flight sides involved in European football, including Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Aston Villa, will all join the competition over the following nine days as the third round plays out in full.
Those wanting to watch the draw live in the United Kingdom will be able to do so via Sky Sports, with a live stream also available for subscribers through the Sky Go app. Coverage will additionally be tracked through live blogs for fans who prefer to follow the process as it unfolds rather than watch on television.
As for the mechanics of the draw itself, the ball numbers that will determine the shape of the fourth round have yet to be published, with organizers expected to confirm them in the coming days. Once revealed, those numbers will dictate the potential matchups and help fans map out possible blockbuster clashes further down the line.
Looking ahead, the fourth round matches themselves are provisionally scheduled for the week commencing Monday, October 26, 2026, giving clubs a window of several weeks between the draw and the actual fixtures to prepare.
The current third round draw features a mix of Premier League heavyweights and lower-league sides looking to cause an upset. Alongside the Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Chelsea ties already mentioned, other fixtures include Leyton Orient against Bradford, Millwall hosting Newcastle, Peterborough facing Barnsley, and West Ham taking on fellow London club Fulham. Ipswich will have the daunting task of facing Arsenal, while Liverpool go up against Tottenham in a heavyweight all-Premier League encounter.
Elsewhere, Reading host Brentford, Everton face Wolves, and Fleetwood take on Sheffield United. Coventry will look to spring a surprise against Aston Villa, and Manchester City complete the round by hosting Norwich after United's clash with Brighton.
With several major clubs expected to progress through to the next stage, the fourth round draw promises to generate significant interest among fans hoping for standout ties as the competition progresses toward its later rounds.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.