The 3rd AKB48 Group Draft Kaigi (第3回AKB48グループドラフト会議) was held on January 21, 2018 at the Tokyo Dome City Hall.Like the previous Draft Kaigi, the meeting was a public audition where a number of pre-selected candidates had the chance to be drafted into a team by a group of the team's representatives. Unlike previous years, the representatives will be both members/managers and fans. All current groups (AKB48, SKE48, NMB48, HKT48, NGT48 and STU48) are planned to participate in the event. Team 8 will not participate in the draft.
Members (69): Watanabe Akari, Mizoguchi Aiko, Amano Ami, Omori Maho, Fukumoto Yui, Ito Yueru, Mimura Hino, Suenaga Yuzuki, Kamiyama Riho, Nagano Megumi, Ishiwata Sena, Tada Kyoka, Oki Yuka, Nakano Airi, Sogabe Yume, Suzuki Ayaka, Minami Haasa, Mizobuchi Maria, Izumi Ayano, Kumamoto Hinako, Ikegaya Chihiro, Nakasaka Miyu, Osawa Ai, Mashimo Kaho, Katsumata Saori, Sugiura Kotone, Otani Yuki, Maeda Reiko, Abe Wakana, Shiotsuki Keito, Kawano Nanaho, Hirata Shiina, Kobayashi Ran, Yoshihashi Yuzuka, Yoshikawa Hikari, Sato Ami, Hazama Miharu, Seki Ai, Ando Chikana, Furukawa Nazuna, Sato Kairi, Kozuma Honoka, Yamasaki Amiru, Nakamura Mai, Ota Riona, Matsuda Yumi, Fujisaki Miyu, Sato Shiori, Nakano Mirai, Harasawa Otohi, Shinano Soraha, Ikarashi Urara, Tsushima Yunako, Yamamoto Mikana, Baba Sayaka, Sawami Sakura, Sakamoto Nami, Otake Hitomi, Yura Akari, Takahashi Nanami, Nishi Marina, Murayama Honoka, Yahagi Moeka, Kuramoto Miyuu, Saito Haruna, Okada Rina, Nakazato Chinami, Honda Sora, Kitagawa Yuri
- Now in AKB48 Regular Members (1): Omori Maho
- Now in Team S (1): Nakasaka Miyu
- Now in Team KII (1): Nakano Airi
- Now in Team N (1): Izumi Ayano
- Now in Team M (1): Yamamoto Mikana
- Now in Team BII (2): Abe Wakana, Shiotsuki Keito
- Now in Team H (1): Ito Yueru
- Now in NGT48 2nd Generation (1): Mimura Hino
- Now in NGT48 3rd Draft (2): Sato Kairi, Fujisaki Miyu
- Now in STU48 3rd Draft (2): Nakamura Mai, Shinano Soraha
- Now Graduated (35): Matsuda Yumi, Sato Ami, Ota Riona, Yahagi Moeka, Mizobuchi Maria, Sakamoto Nami, Hirata Shiina, Nishi Marina, Honda Sora, Kawano Nanaho, Sugiura Kotone, Furukawa Nazuna, Kuramoto Miyuu, Yamasaki Amiru, Minami Haasa, Seki Ai, Tsushima Yunako, Ando Chikana, Nagano Megumi, Watanabe Akari, Kobayashi Ran, Nakano Mirai, Kitagawa Yuri, Baba Sayaka, Ishiwata Sena, Tada Kyoka, Okada Rina, Yoshihashi Yuzuka, Saito Haruna, Otake Hitomi, Otani Yuki, Maeda Reiko, Sogabe Yume, Oki Yuka, Mashimo Kaho
- Former Kenkyuusei (11): Kumamoto Hinako, Kozuma Honoka, Harasawa Otohi, Kamiyama Riho, Mizoguchi Aiko, Katsumata Saori, Osawa Ai, Yura Akari, Sato Shiori, Takahashi Nanami, Suenaga Yuzuki
- Unpicked members (10): Amano Ami, Fukumoto Yui, Suzuki Ayaka, Kumamoto Hinako, Ikegaya Chihiro, Yoshikawa Hikari, Hazama Miharu, Ikarashi Urara, Murayama Honoka, Nakazato Chinami
Mimura Hino, Sogabe Yume, Nakasaka Miyu, Suzuki Ayaka, and Mashimo Kaho were unpicked but then returned as members of their current groups.
Kitagawa Yuri was picked by Team B, but withdrew and later returned as part of Nogizaka46 4th Generation.