Carabao Cup holders Newcastle United will begin their title defence at home against League One side Bradford in the third round of the competition.
The draw, which took place on August 27, 2025, also saw several other intriguing matchups. League Two side Grimsby Town, who pulled off a stunning upset against Manchester United, will travel to face Championship club Sheffield Wednesday.
Elsewhere, Premier League champions Liverpool, last season’s runners-up, will host Championship side Southampton. Meanwhile, Manchester City will take on Huddersfield Town, and Chelsea will travel to Lincoln City.
The third round also features two all-Premier League clashes, with Brentford hosting Aston Villa and Wolves welcoming Everton.
The third-round ties are scheduled to be played across two weeks, starting on September 15 and September 22.
Champions League and Europa League fixtures are also scheduled during this period, which led to the seeding of the eight teams participating in those competitions—Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa—to avoid scheduling conflicts.
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 Town v Manchester City
* Liverpool v Southampton
* Newcastle v Bradford City
* Sheffield Wednesday v Grimsby Town
* Wolves v Everton
* Crystal Palace v Millwall
* Burnley v Cardiff City
* Wrexham v Reading
* Wigan v Wycombe
* Barnsley v Brighton
* Fulham v Cambridge
