The EFL has confirmed the ball numbers for tonight's Carabao Cup semi-final draw, with Chelsea the first team guaranteed their place in the last four.
The draw will take place on Wednesday evening following the conclusion of the quarter-final tie between Newcastle United and Fulham at St James' Park, with proceedings expected to begin at approximately 22:35 GMT.
Confirmed ball numbers
The EFL announced the following ball numbers on Wednesday morning:
- Ball 1: Chelsea
- Ball 2: Manchester City or Brentford
- Ball 3: Newcastle United or Fulham
- Ball 4: Arsenal or Crystal Palace
Chelsea secured their semi-final berth on Tuesday night with a 3-1 victory at League One leaders Cardiff City. Enzo Maresca's side were made to work hard before late goals from Alejandro Garnacho (two) and Pedro Neto sealed the win after Cardiff's Ross Turnbull had equalised.
Tonight's quarter-finals
Two quarter-final ties take place this evening. Manchester City host Brentford at the Etihad Stadium (19:30 GMT), while defending champions Newcastle welcome Fulham to St James' Park (20:15 GMT).
The final quarter-final between Arsenal and Crystal Palace has been postponed until Tuesday 23 December due to Palace's Europa Conference League commitments. Both clubs will therefore be represented by a single ball in tonight's draw, with the winner taking the assigned semi-final fixture.
Draw details
Sky Sports presenter Simon Thomas will host the draw, with former players Jamie Redknapp and Michael Brown providing analysis. Coverage will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event.
This is an open draw with no seeding, meaning any team can face any opponent in the semi-finals.
Key dates
- Semi-final first legs: Week commencing 12 January 2026
- Semi-final second legs: Week commencing 2 February 2026
- Final: Sunday 22 March 2026, Wembley Stadium
Newcastle are the defending champions, having lifted the trophy last season. A potential all-London semi-final remains possible, with Chelsea, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Brentford all still in contention.
