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 (72): 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 Team A (1): Furukawa Nazuna
- Now in Team K (3): Nagano Megumi, Okada Rina, Kobayashi Ran
- Now in Team B (3): Omori Maho, Otake Hitomi, Saito Haruna
- Now in Team 4 (4): Ishiwata Sena, Kuramoto Miyuu, Tada Kyoka, Yoshihashi Yuzuka
- Now in Team S (2): Nakasaka Miyu, Otani Yuki
- Now in Team KII (1): Nakano Airi
- Now in NMB48 Promoted Members (8): Abe Wakana, Izumi Ayano, Shiotsuki Keito, Nakano Mirai, Maeda Reiko, Minami Haasa, Yamasaki Amiru, Yamamoto Mikana
- Now in Team H (2): Watanabe Akari, Ito Yueru
- Now in Team KIV (1): Baba Sayaka
- Now in Team TII (1): Seki Ai
- Now in NGT48 2nd Generation (3): Mimura Hino, Sogabe Yume, Mashimo Kaho
- Now in NGT48 3rd Draft (4): Ando Chikana, Sato Kairi, Tsushima Yunako, Fujisaki Miyu
- Now in STU48 3rd Draft (3): Oki Yuka, Nakamura Mai, Shinano Soraha
- Now in Nogizaka46 4th Generation (1): Kitagawa Yuri
- Now Graduated (11): Matsuda Yumi, Sato Ami, Ota Riona, Yahagi Moeka, Mizobuchi Maria, Sakamoto Nami, Hirata Shiina, Nishi Marina, Honda Sora, Kawano Nanaho, Sugiura Kotone
- Former Kenkyuusei (9): 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.
