Overview
- The draw takes place on Monday, 8 December at approximately 18:40–18:45 GMT immediately before Brackley Town vs Burton Albion.
- Former England internationals Joe Cole and Peter Crouch will conduct the draw, with coverage on TNT Sports 1 and Discovery+ in the UK and ESPN Select in the US.
- Sixty-four clubs enter at this stage: the 20 second-round winners plus all 20 Premier League and 24 Championship teams.
- Third-round ties are scheduled across the weekend beginning Saturday, 10 January 2026, with matches decided on the day under the no-replay format using extra time and penalties if required.
- Published prize money for advancing is inconsistently reported, listed as £121,500 by BBC/Yahoo and £115,000 by Goal.