Carabao Cup Fourth-Round Draw: Key Details and Schedule

The Carabao Cup is starting to tighten. Thirty-two have become sixteen, and with a quarter-final place now on the line, the competition is edging into the part of the season where managers stop pretending it doesn’t matter.

The Premier League’s European contenders have already stepped into the fray, forcing the third round to be split across the week. That disruption disappears now. The last 16 will be played on a clean slate, one straightforward round, no excuses and nowhere to hide.

When and where is the fourth-round draw?

All eyes turn to Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

The fourth-round draw will be made straight after the Round Three tie between Manchester United and Brighton. That match kicks off at 8pm BST on Wednesday 16 September, so the draw is expected some time after 10pm BST, once the final whistle and post-match formalities are out of the way.

Once the game is done, the focus moves instantly from the pitch to the bowl of numbered balls and the prospect of heavyweight clashes.

How to watch the draw

The draw will be shown live on Sky Sports.

Pien Meulensteen will front the coverage, with Jamie Redknapp and Ashley Young handling the draw itself. No studio gimmicks, just the usual mix of analysis, reaction and that brief, sharp tension as each tie drops into place.

Ball numbers and schedule

The ball numbers will be confirmed on Wednesday morning across the EFL’s channels, setting up the final layer of intrigue before kick-off at Old Trafford. Clubs, players and supporters will know exactly what to look for when the cameras cut to the draw.

Round Four ties will be played as single-legged fixtures in the week commencing 26 October. One game, one night, and for half of the remaining sides, one more step towards Wembley.