Overview
- The draw starts about 18:40 GMT on Monday 8 December, staged pitchside before Brackley Town vs Burton Albion at St James Park.
- Joe Cole and Peter Crouch will conduct proceedings, with TNT's Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist fronting the broadcast.
- Viewers in the UK can watch on TNT Sports 1, Discovery+ and the TNT Sports YouTube channel, while U.S. coverage is on ESPN Select via the ESPN app.
- Ball numbers are confirmed for all 64 clubs, including Liverpool 21, Manchester City 22 and Manchester United 23.
- Third‑round ties are set for the weekend beginning 10 January 2026 under the competition’s no‑replay rule, with several sixth‑tier sides such as Slough Town, Macclesfield and Chelmsford City in the hat.