Jump to content

2025–26 EFL Trophy

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2025–26 EFL Trophy
Tournament details
CountryEngland
Wales
Teams64
← 2024–25
2026–27 →

The 2025–26 EFL Trophy, known as the Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is the 45th season in the history of the competition, and is a knock-out tournament for clubs in EFL League One and League Two, the third and fourth tiers of the English football league system, as well as the "Academy teams" of 16 Premier League teams.[1]

The defending champions are Peterborough United, who defeated Birmingham City 2–0 in the previous season's final. They have won two consecutive EFL Trophy finals, after beating Wycombe Wanderers in the 2024 final.

Participating clubs

[edit]
League One League Two Academies
Clubs
Total 24 24 16

Eligibility criteria for players

[edit]
For EFL clubs[2]
  • Minimum of four qualifying outfield players in their starting XI. A qualifying outfield player was one who met any of the following requirements:
    • Any player who started the previous or following first-team fixture.
    • Any player who is in the top 10 players at the club who has made the most starting appearances in league and domestic cup competitions this season.
    • Any player with forty or more first-team starting appearances in their career, including International matches.
    • Any player on loan from a Premier League club or any EFL Category One Academy club.
  • A club can play any eligible goalkeeper in the competition.
  • Any player out on a long loan term at a National League, National League North, or National League South team can play as long as the loaning team agree to allow the player to return for the match.
For invited teams[2]
  • Minimum of six players in the starting line-up who are aged under 21 on 30 June 2025.
  • Maximum of two players on the team sheet who are aged over 21 and have also made forty or more senior appearances.

Competition format

[edit]
Group stage
  • Sixteen groups of four teams will be organised on a regionalised basis.
  • All groups will include one invited club.
  • All clubs will play each other once, either home or away (academy sides will play all group matches away from home).
  • Clubs will be awarded three points for a win and one point for a draw.
  • In the event of a drawn game (after 90 minutes), a penalty shoot-out will be held with the winning team earning an additional point.
  • Clubs expelled from the EFL will be knocked out of the tournament automatically.
  • The top two teams in each group will progress to the knockout stage.
  • In an Event of which group stage match has been postponed, the Postponed Group stage match will be rescheduled to no further date than the second Tuesday of November 2025.
Knockout stage
  • The Round of 32, the Round of 16 and the quarterfinals of the competition will be drawn on a regionalised basis.
  • In Round 2, the group winners will be seeded and the group runners-up will be unseeded in the draw.
  • Semi-final pairings are determined by means of an unseeded draw with no regionalisation.[3]

Group stage

[edit]

The group stage draw was announced on 24 June 2025, with the Academy teams being drawn on 25 June 2025.[4]

Northern section

[edit]

Group A

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L2 Salford City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L1 Stockport County 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L1 Wigan Athletic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
2 September 2025 1 Stockport County v Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 Stockport
19:00 BST Stadium: Edgeley Park
2 September 2025 1 Wigan Athletic v Salford City Wigan
19:00 BST Stadium: Brick Community Stadium
7 October 2025 1 Salford City v Stockport County Salford
19:00 BST Stadium: Moor Lane
7 October 2025 1 Wigan Athletic v Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 Wigan
19:00 BST Stadium: Brick Community Stadium
11 November 2025 1 Salford City v Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 Salford
19:01 GMT Stadium: Moor Lane
11 November 2025 1 Stockport County v Wigan Athletic Stockport
19:01 GMT Stadium: Edgeley Park

Group B

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L2 Barrow 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L1 Blackpool 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L2 Tranmere Rovers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Nottingham Forest U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
9 September 2025 1 Tranmere Rovers v Nottingham Forest U21 Birkenhead
19:00 BST Stadium: Prenton Park
16 September 2025 1 Blackpool v Barrow Blackpool
19:00 BST Stadium: Bloomfield Road
7 October 2025 1 Barrow v Tranmere Rovers Barrow-in-Furness
19:30 BST Stadium: Holker Street
14 October 2025 1 Blackpool v Nottingham Forest U21 Blackpool
19:00 BST Stadium: Bloomfield Road
28 October 2025 1 Barrow v Nottingham Forest U21 Barrow-in-Furness
19:00 BST Stadium: Holker Street
11 November 2025 1 Tranmere Rovers v Blackpool Birkenhead
19:01 GMT Stadium: Prenton Park

Group C

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L1 Bradford City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L1 Doncaster Rovers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L2 Grimsby Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Everton U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
2 September 2025 1 Bradford City v Grimsby Town Bradford
19:30 BST Stadium: Valley Parade
2 September 2025 1 Doncaster Rovers v Everton U21 Doncaster
19:30 BST Stadium: Keepmoat Stadium
30 September 2025 1 Bradford City v Everton U21 Bradford
19:30 BST Stadium: Valley Parade
7 October 2025 1 Grimsby Town v Doncaster Rovers Cleethorpes
19:00 BST Stadium: Blundell Park
4 November 2025 1 Grimsby Town v Everton U21 Cleethorpes
19:30 GMT Stadium: Blundell Park
11 November 2025 1 Doncaster Rovers v Bradford City Doncaster
19:01 GMT Stadium: Keepmoat Stadium


Group D

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L1 Barnsley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L1 Lincoln City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L2 Notts County 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Manchester United U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
2 September 2025 1 Lincoln City v Notts County Lincoln
19:00 BST Stadium: Sincil Bank
2 September 2025 1 Barnsley v Manchester United U21 Barnsley
19:00 BST Stadium: Oakwell
30 September 2025 1 Lincoln City v Manchester United U21 Lincoln
19:00 BST Stadium: Sincil Bank
30 September 2025 1 Notts County v Barnsley Nottingham
19:00 BST Stadium: Meadow Lane
4 November 2025 1 Notts County v Manchester United U21 Nottingham
19:00 GMT Stadium: Meadow Lane
11 November 2025 1 Barnsley v Notts County Barnsley
19:01 GMT Stadium: Oakwell

Group E

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L1 Bolton Wanderers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L2 Oldham Athletic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L1 Rotherham United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Manchester City U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
v
v
v
v
v
v

Group F

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L2 Harrogate Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L1 Huddersfield Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L1 Mansfield Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Newcastle United U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
2 September 2025 1 Huddersfield Town v Newcastle United U21 Huddersfield
19:45 BST Stadium: Kirklees Stadium
9 September 2025 1 Mansfield Town v Harrogate Town Mansfield
19:45 BST Stadium: Field Mill
30 September 2025 1 Harrogate Town v Huddersfield Town Harrogate
19:00 BST Stadium: Wetherby Road
15 October 2025 1 Mansfield Town v Newcastle United U21 Mansfield
19:45 BST Stadium: Field Mill
4 November 2025 1 Huddersfield Town v Mansfield Town Huddersfield
19:45 GMT Stadium: Kirklees Stadium
11 November 2025 1 Harrogate Town v Newcastle United U21 Harrogate
19:01 GMT Stadium: Wetherby Road

Group G

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L2 Accrington Stanley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L2 Fleetwood Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L1 Port Vale 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Leeds United U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
2 September 2025 1 Fleetwood Town v Accrington Stanley Fleetwood
19:00 BST Stadium: Highbury Stadium
2 September 2025 1 Port Vale v Leeds United U21 Stoke-on-Trent
19:45 BST Stadium: Vale Park
7 October 2025 1 Fleetwood Town v Leeds United U21 Fleetwood
19:00 BST Stadium: Highbury Stadium
7 October 2025 1 Accrington Stanley v Port Vale Accrington
19:45 BST Stadium: Crown Ground
11 November 2025 1 Accrington Stanley v Leeds United U21 Accrington
19:46 GMT Stadium: Crown Ground
11 November 2025 1 Port Vale v Fleetwood Town Stoke-on-Trent
19:46 GMT Stadium: Vale Park

Group H

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L1 Burton Albion 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L2 Chesterfield 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L2 Crewe Alexandra 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Liverpool U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
v
v
v
v
v
v

Southern section

[edit]

Group A

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L1 Cardiff City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L1 Exeter City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L2 Newport County 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Arsenal U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
v
v
v
v
v
v

Group B

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L2 Bristol Rovers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L2 Cheltenham Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L1 Plymouth Argyle 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Tottenham Hotspur U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
v
v
v
v
v
v

Group C

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L1 Northampton Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L2 Shrewsbury Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L2 Walsall 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Chelsea U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
v
v
v
v
v
v

Group D

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L2 Milton Keynes Dons 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L1 Reading 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L2 Swindon Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA West Ham United U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
2 September 2025 1 Swindon Town v Reading Swindon
19:00 BST Stadium: County Ground
16 September 2015 1 MK Dons v West Ham United U21 Milton Keynes
19:00 BST Stadium: Stadium MK
7 October 2025 1 Reading v MK Dons Reading
19:00 BST Stadium: Madjeski Stadium
7, 14, 21 or 28 October 2025 1 Swindon Town v West Ham United U21 Swindon
Stadium: County Ground
11 November 2025 1 MK Dons v Swindon Town Milton Keynes
19:01 GMT Stadium: Stadium MK
1 Reading v West Ham United U21 Reading
Stadium: Madjeski Stadium

Group E

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L1 AFC Wimbledon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L2 Bromley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L1 Stevenage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Crystal Palace U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
v
v
v
v
v
v

Group F

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L2 Crawley Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L1 Leyton Orient 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L1 Peterborough United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Aston Villa U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
2 September 2025 1 Peterborough United v Leyton Orient Peterborough
19:00 BST Stadium: London Road Stadium
16 September 2025 1 Crawley Town v Aston Villa U21 Crawley
19:45 BST Stadium: Broadfield Stadium
30 September 2025 1 Peterborough United v Aston Villa U21 Peterborough
19:00 BST Stadium: London Road Stadium
7 October 2025 1 Leyton Orient v Crawley Town Leyton
19:00 BST Stadium: Brisbane Road
28 October 2025 1 Leyton Orient v Aston Villa U21 Leyton
19:00 BST Stadium: Brisbane Road
11 November 2025 1 Crawley Town v Peterborough United Crawley
19:46 GMT Stadium: Broadfield Stadium

Group G

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L2 Colchester United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L2 Gillingham 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L1 Wycombe Wanderers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Fulham U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
v
v
v
v
v
v

Group H

[edit]

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L2 Barnet 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Round 2
2 L2 Cambridge United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 L1 Luton Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 ACA Brighton & Hove Albion U21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: EFL
v
v
v
v
v
v

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "About The Competition". EFL.com. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b EFL: "EFL Trophy Rules Season 2021/22"
  3. ^ "EFL Trophy Rules Season 2025/26" (PDF). Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  4. ^ "Under-21 teams and Group Stage draw confirmed for 2025/26 Vertu Trophy". EFL. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2025–26_EFL_Trophy&oldid=1304799531"