Guide to everything that you need to know about the Third Round draw for 2023-24 Carabao Cup.
This stage of the competition sees the seven Premier League clubs who qualified for Europe enter the competition, as well as the removal of the regionalised Northern and Southern Sections which means that there are no geographical restrictions.
Defending champions, Manchester United are amongst seven teams who will begin their campaign at this stage, as Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils seek to defend their title.
Now, here is everything that you need to know about the Third Round draw for 2023-24 Carabao Cup.
When is the 2023-24 Carabao Cup Third Round draw?
The draw for the Third Round of this season’s Carabao Cup takes place after Doncaster’s televised Second Round tie against Everton, live on Sky Sports at Keepmoat Stadium with the draw set to be held upon completion of the match.
Timing wise, it is anticipated that the draw will take place between 10:15 – 10:30pm, although it could be mater if the match goes to a penalty shootout.
Sky Sports’ Emma Saunders will host the draw which will be conducted by ex Sheffield Wednesday manager, Darren Moore plus retired England star, Izzy Christiansen.
How Many Teams are Involved in the Draw?
32 teams will be involved in the draw with 25 clubs having advanced via victories in the Second Round, whilst seven clubs will commence their campaign at this stage after receiving a bye due to having qualified for UEFA competitions at the end of last season.
Here are the ball numbers and teams in full.
| Ball Number | Team |
| 1 | AFC Bournemouth |
| 2 | Arsenal |
| 3 | Aston Villa |
| 4 | Bradford City |
| 5 | Brentford |
| 6 | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 7 | Cardiff City |
| 8 | Crystal Palace |
| 9 | Exeter City |
| 10 | Fulham |
| 11 | Ipswich Town |
| 12 | Leicester City |
| 13 | Liverpool |
| 14 | Luton Town |
| 15 | Manchester City |
| 16 | Manchester United |
| 17 | Mansfield Town |
| 18 | Middlesbrough |
| 19 | Norwich City |
| 20 | Newcastle United |
| 21 | Peterborough United |
| 22 | Port Vale |
| 23 | Salford City |
| 24 | Stoke City |
| 25 | Sutton United |
| 26 | West Ham United |
| 27 | Wolves |
| 28 | Chelsea or AFC Wimbledon |
| 29 | Doncaster or Everton |
| 30 | Harrogate or Blackburn |
| 31 | Nottingham Forest or Burnley |
| 32 | Sheffield United or Lincoln City |
Teams to Watch Out For
Amongst 32 teams in the draw, there will be a number of teams to watch out for, so here is a quick guide to the clubs which you should keep an eye out for.
- Manchester United (Ball number 16) – As defending champions, Man Utd will be hoping to avoid an early blockbuster clash at this stage of the competition.
- Newcastle United (Ball number 20) – After finishing runners-up last season, Newcastle are looking for another cup run this season either in this competition or one of FA Cup or Champions League.
- Salford City (Ball number 23) – Following their shock Second Round win over Leeds, Salford will look to continue their cup run.
- Brighton & Hove Albion (Ball number 6) – Having enjoyed deep runs in both cup competitions last season, Brighton are looking to mount another deep domestic cup run this season.
- Fulham (Ball number 10) – Marco Silva’s Cottagers will seek to extend their League Cup run after eliminating Tottenham in the Second Round.