Carabao Cup Fourth-Round Draw: Date, Time, and What to Expect
The Carabao Cup is tightening. Thirty-two have become sixteen, and with a quarter-final place on the line, the competition is starting to feel serious.
The third round has been stretched across the week to accommodate the Premier League’s European contingent, but the chaos of split schedules will give way to a cleaner, sharper fourth-round slate. No more staggered entries. No safety nets. Just 16 clubs chasing a domestic trophy that suddenly looks very winnable once the field thins out.
And now comes the draw.
When is the Carabao Cup fourth-round draw?
The fourth-round draw will be made on Wednesday 16 September, immediately after the Round Three tie between Manchester United and Brighton.
That match kicks off at 8pm BST. The draw will follow once the action at Old Trafford is over, so expect the balls to come out of the pot some time after 10pm BST, depending on stoppages and any post-match formalities.
The timing matters. Managers, players and supporters will barely have processed the night’s result before their next hurdle is laid out in front of them.
How can you watch it?
Sky Sports will carry the draw live as part of their coverage.
Pien Meulensteen will lead the broadcast, with Jamie Redknapp and Ashley Young overseeing the draw itself. Between them, they know this competition from the inside; now they’ll decide who faces whom as the road to Wembley sharpens into focus.
No regional split. No seeding quirks. Just a straight, open draw.
Ball numbers and schedule
The EFL will confirm the ball numbers on Wednesday morning across its official channels, setting up the usual ritual of fans scanning the list, doing the mental maths and quietly hoping for either a glamour tie or a clear run.
Once the draw is done, the calendar takes over.
All Round Four ties are scheduled as single-legged affairs in the week commencing 26 October. One night, one chance, no replay to bail anyone out.
By then, the season will be in full swing, squads will be stretched, and priorities will be tested. Who gambles? Who rotates? And who decides this is the quickest path to silverware and goes all in?
