Carabao Cup Round Three draw explained: seeding, split pots and why two draws are needed

The Carabao Cup Round Three draw is set for Wednesday, August 26, taking place shortly after the conclusion of Preston North End’s second-round tie with Everton.

Unlike previous seasons, this year’s third-round draw is a two-stage process — and understanding why requires a look at how UEFA’s expanded European competition calendar has complicated the EFL’s scheduling.

Why are there two draws?

Before the main draw, a pre-draw determines whether each of the eight Premier League clubs competing in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League will be at home or away in the third round. Only once that home/away status is locked in does the main draw take place.

Those eight European clubs are placed into Pot 1. The remaining 24 teams in the third round occupy Pot 2. The first eight ties pair each Pot 1 club against a Pot 2 opponent; the final eight ties are drawn entirely from the 16 remaining Pot 2 sides.

Is the draw seeded and regionalised?

Round Three is seeded — a change introduced by the EFL purely for logistical reasons — but it is not regionalised. There is no north-south split at this stage.

The fixture congestion problem

The seeding and split-draw structure exist to prevent Champions League clubs from being drawn against Europa League clubs in the third round. Round Three is played across two separate midweek blocks in September, coinciding with UEFA Matchday 1 fixtures for both competitions on alternate weeks. Because UEFA match dates are non-negotiable, a Champions League side drawn against a Europa League side would face an unresolvable scheduling conflict.

Last season illustrated the issue clearly: third-round Carabao ties were spread across the weeks commencing September 16 and 23, with European fixtures clashing on those same dates.

By seeding European clubs into Pot 1 and ensuring they cannot be drawn against one another, the EFL guarantees every third-round tie can be fulfilled without forcing clubs to choose between domestic and continental commitments.

What to expect

Premier League clubs who entered at the second-round stage are already in the competition, with the remaining top-flight sides — those in European competition — joining the draw for Round Three. The addition of those clubs, combined with the two-pot structure, means the third round is the first stage at which the full Premier League contingent is involved.