Carabao Cup Round Five Draw: How to Check Fixtures, Dates and Kickoff Times

Updated October 28, 2026: The Carabao Cup Round Five draw, also called the quarter-final draw, is scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, after Liverpool host Chelsea in Round Four. The English Football League (EFL) has confirmed the draw arrangements and the week reserved for the next round, but that does not mean the four quarter-final pairings or their individual kickoff times are confirmed yet. This guide explains which official pages to check, what to look for, and how to avoid confusing the draw date with the dates of the matches themselves.

Carabao Cup Round Five: Key dates at a glance

Start with the EFL's official quarter-final draw announcement for the event arrangements. Use the official Carabao Cup competition hub to find the fixtures, results, match hub, and subsequent announcements. These are separate information needs: a draw assigns opponents; a fixture listing confirms when and where they will play.

How to check the Round Five draw

1. Open the EFL draw announcement. The league says the quarter-final draw follows Liverpool vs. Chelsea on Wednesday, October 28. Do not treat 8:00 p.m. as the draw's start: it is the kickoff time of the preceding match.
2. Check EFL channels for the draw result. The league said ball numbers would be published on Wednesday. Ball numbers identify entries in the draw; they are not the completed matchups.
3. Read the four drawn ties. The outcome of the four pairings is more important than the order in which balls are drawn. At the time of an early draw, a tie yet to be completed can leave an entrant provisionally described as the winner of that match.
4. Return to the match hub for confirmed fixture details. Look for each quarter-final's home team, away team, stadium, calendar date, kickoff time, and UK broadcaster. Verify any later change against the EFL or the home club's official channels.

Sky Sports is the broadcaster named by the EFL for the draw. The announcement identifies presenter Dave Jones and draw participants Conor Coady and Graham Le Saux. It does not publish an exact clock time for the draw, so an estimate circulating on social media should not be presented as an official appointment. Follow the league's draw details for any late clarification.

Round Four fixtures that determine the last eight

Eight fourth-round ties take place across October 27–29, 2026. The table below is the Round Four schedule, not a list of already confirmed Round Five games. Kickoff times are given for the match locations in England. British Summer Time ended on October 25, so all the October 27–29 kickoffs listed here use GMT (UTC+00:00); the same clock readings apply in UTC.

The times above are from the EFL's confirmed Round Four schedule. Use its Round Four appointments notice or competition hub for another official cross-check. A match played on Thursday, October 29, comes after Wednesday's scheduled draw; therefore, the final identity of every quarter-final entrant need not be known at the moment the balls are drawn.

When will the quarter-final matches be played?

The league's published calendar reserves the week commencing December 14, 2026 for Carabao Cup Round Five. That is a round window, not a statement that all games kick off on Monday, December 14. An individual fixture must be supported by a separate confirmed schedule, particularly if television selections or operational considerations affect the day or kickoff time.

The EFL key dates page also identifies the semi-final first-leg window as the week beginning January 11, 2027, the second-leg window as the week beginning February 1, and the final as Sunday, March 21, 2027. Those dates help place Round Five in the wider competition calendar, but they do not substitute for the official fixture list.

How to find live coverage and match updates

For viewers in the United Kingdom, the EFL says every Round Four game is available through Sky Sports or Sky Sports+, with NOW also carrying Sky's coverage. Liverpool vs. Chelsea on October 28 is additionally listed for ITV1 and ITVX. This broadcast information relates to the Round Four match; the EFL separately identifies Sky Sports as the draw broadcaster. Do not assume that the same free-to-air arrangements automatically apply to every quarter-final or to the draw itself.

Visit the EFL's official viewing guide for the current round and the competition page for match information. Overseas viewers should check the EFL's international broadcaster information and local listings instead of assuming that a UK rights agreement also covers their country.

Quick checklist: Is a Round Five fixture actually confirmed?

• Does the matchup appear in an EFL draw result or official fixture page, rather than only in a prediction?
• Is the date a specific match date, not merely the week commencing December 14?
• Does the listing identify the home ground or state that a venue decision is pending?
• Is the kickoff accompanied by the event-location time zone? December fixtures in England use GMT (UTC+00:00).
• Has the broadcaster been announced for that particular tie?
• Has a club or the EFL published an update since the first fixture release?

Common questions about the Round Five draw

Is Round Five the same as the quarter-finals?

Yes. The competition's fifth round is the last-eight stage. The eight fourth-round ties produce the eight entrants, and the quarter-final draw establishes four matches.

What time is the draw on October 28?

The EFL confirms that it takes place after Liverpool vs. Chelsea. That game starts at 8:00 p.m. in Liverpool, GMT (UTC+00:00), on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, equivalent to 20:00 UTC. The league's cited announcement does not give a fixed draw starting time. Match length and the post-match broadcast sequence can affect when it appears.

Can I book travel based on the draw alone?

The draw can confirm an opponent and home designation, but the exact date, start time, ticket rules, and broadcast selection may follow later. Check the hosting club's official fixture and ticket pages before making arrangements that cannot be changed.

Bottom line: Check the EFL's October 28 quarter-final draw coverage for the pairings, then check the official competition fixtures for confirmed Round Five dates and kickoffs in the week commencing December 14. Keep draw timing, round windows, and individual match schedules separate: they answer different questions and can be confirmed at different times.