Complicated Carabao Cup third-round draw format explained: 'These changes have been forced upon us'

A minimum of two Yorkshire clubs and a maximum of five will be involved in round three, where the Premier League sides involved in European football join the competition.

But the overblown nature of the Champions, Europa and Conference League have made it impossible for the organisers to run a traditional, open cup draw.

So many English clubs being involved forcaed the introduction of a preliminary round, and complicates round three, which has to be spread over two weeks so the opening matches in the Champions League and Europa League group stages can be played in separate weeks for greater television exposure.

The Conference League proper, which Crystal Palace are hoping to qualify for, does not start until October.

The draw will live on Sky Sports after Grimsby Town's televised game against Manchester United on Wednesday.

By then, Yorkshire's involvement will be known, with Accrington Stanley v Doncaster Rovers, Barnsley v Rotherham United, Sheffield Wednesday v Leeds United, Stoke City v Bradford City and Sundeland v Huddersfield Town all being played to a finish on Tuesday.

"As UEFA competition fixtures cannot be rescheduled, and to enable the Carabao Cup to proceed within its agreed schedule without disrupting other league or domestic cup fixtures, clubs participating in the Champions League or Europa League cannot meet each other in round three of the League Cup," the Football League has explained. "This will ensure that both teams drawn in each tie will be able to fulfil the fixture in one of the allocated weeks."

Games will be played on the weeks beginning September 15 or 22.

"It would always be the EFL’s preference to conduct the draw in the traditional manner, but these changes have been forced upon us for the second season in succession as a result of UEFA’s failure to consult with the leagues of Europe prior to finalising its competition schedule," stressed the Football League. "These conditions will not be required for ties in round four."

For the main draw, two separate bowls will be used – one containing the eight Champions League and Europa League clubs, and one consisting of the remaining 24, so a pre-draw will be needed to decide whether the European teams will be playing at home or away.

Then the first eight ties will be drawn by alternating between each bowl to see who faces those sides, before a normal draw is conducted from bowl two for the rest of the ties.

At least one complication is removed, with matches not regionalised into north and south, as in the first two rounds.