2025–26 EFL Trophy

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]

2025–26 EFL Trophy

Tournament details
Country	England Wales
Teams	64
← 2024–25 2026–27 →

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

• 48 clubs from League One and League Two.
• 16 invited Category One Academy teams.

	League One	League Two	Academies
Clubs	AFC Wimbledon Barnsley Blackpool Bolton Wanderers Bradford City Burton Albion Cardiff City Doncaster Rovers Exeter City Huddersfield Town Leyton Orient Lincoln City Luton Town Mansfield Town Northampton Town Peterborough United Plymouth Argyle Port Vale Reading Rotherham United Stevenage Stockport County Wigan Athletic Wycombe Wanderers	Accrington Stanley Barnet Barrow Bristol Rovers Bromley Cambridge United Cheltenham Town Chesterfield Colchester United Crawley Town Crewe Alexandra Fleetwood Town Gillingham Grimsby Town Harrogate Town Milton Keynes Dons Newport County Notts County Oldham Athletic Salford City Shrewsbury Town Swindon Town Tranmere Rovers Walsall	Arsenal Aston Villa Brighton & Hove Albion Chelsea Crystal Palace Everton Fulham Leeds United Liverpool Manchester City Manchester United Newcastle United Nottingham Forest Tottenham Hotspur West Ham United Wolverhampton Wanderers
Total	24	24	16

Eligibility criteria for players

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

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

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

Northern section

Group A

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

Stockport County v Wolverhampton Wanderers U21

2 September 2025 1	Stockport County	v	Wolverhampton Wanderers U21	Stockport
19:00 BST				Stadium: Edgeley Park

Wigan Athletic v Salford City

2 September 2025 1	Wigan Athletic	v	Salford City	Wigan
19:00 BST				Stadium: Brick Community Stadium

Salford City v Stockport County

7 October 2025 1	Salford City	v	Stockport County	Salford
19:00 BST				Stadium: Moor Lane

Wigan Athletic v Wolverhampton Wanderers U21

7 October 2025 1	Wigan Athletic	v	Wolverhampton Wanderers U21	Wigan
19:00 BST				Stadium: Brick Community Stadium

Salford City v Wolverhampton Wanderers U21

11 November 2025 1	Salford City	v	Wolverhampton Wanderers U21	Salford
19:01 GMT				Stadium: Moor Lane

Stockport County v Wigan Athletic

11 November 2025 1	Stockport County	v	Wigan Athletic	Stockport
19:01 GMT				Stadium: Edgeley Park

Group B

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

Tranmere Rovers v Nottingham Forest U21

9 September 2025 1	Tranmere Rovers	v	Nottingham Forest U21	Birkenhead
19:00 BST				Stadium: Prenton Park

Blackpool v Barrow

16 September 2025 1	Blackpool	v	Barrow	Blackpool
19:00 BST				Stadium: Bloomfield Road

Barrow v Tranmere Rovers

7 October 2025 1	Barrow	v	Tranmere Rovers	Barrow-in-Furness
19:30 BST				Stadium: Holker Street

Blackpool v Nottingham Forest U21

14 October 2025 1	Blackpool	v	Nottingham Forest U21	Blackpool
19:00 BST				Stadium: Bloomfield Road

Barrow v Nottingham Forest U21

28 October 2025 1	Barrow	v	Nottingham Forest U21	Barrow-in-Furness
19:00 BST				Stadium: Holker Street

Tranmere Rovers v Blackpool

11 November 2025 1	Tranmere Rovers	v	Blackpool	Birkenhead
19:01 GMT				Stadium: Prenton Park

Group C

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

Bradford City v Grimsby Town

2 September 2025 1	Bradford City	v	Grimsby Town	Bradford
19:30 BST				Stadium: Valley Parade

Doncaster Rovers v Everton U21

2 September 2025 1	Doncaster Rovers	v	Everton U21	Doncaster
19:30 BST				Stadium: Keepmoat Stadium

Bradford City v Everton U21

30 September 2025 1	Bradford City	v	Everton U21	Bradford
19:30 BST				Stadium: Valley Parade

Grimsby Town v Doncaster Rovers

7 October 2025 1	Grimsby Town	v	Doncaster Rovers	Cleethorpes
19:00 BST				Stadium: Blundell Park

Grimsby Town v Everton U21

4 November 2025 1	Grimsby Town	v	Everton U21	Cleethorpes
19:30 GMT				Stadium: Blundell Park

Doncaster Rovers v Bradford City

11 November 2025 1	Doncaster Rovers	v	Bradford City	Doncaster
19:01 GMT				Stadium: Keepmoat Stadium

Group D

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

Lincoln City v Notts County

2 September 2025 1	Lincoln City	v	Notts County	Lincoln
19:00 BST				Stadium: Sincil Bank

Barnsley v Manchester United U21

2 September 2025 1	Barnsley	v	Manchester United U21	Barnsley
19:00 BST				Stadium: Oakwell

Lincoln City v Manchester United U21

30 September 2025 1	Lincoln City	v	Manchester United U21	Lincoln
19:00 BST				Stadium: Sincil Bank

Notts County v Barnsley

30 September 2025 1	Notts County	v	Barnsley	Nottingham
19:00 BST				Stadium: Meadow Lane

Notts County v Manchester United U21

4 November 2025 1	Notts County	v	Manchester United U21	Nottingham
19:00 GMT				Stadium: Meadow Lane

Barnsley v Notts County

11 November 2025 1	Barnsley	v	Notts County	Barnsley
19:01 GMT				Stadium: Oakwell

Group E

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

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Group F

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

Huddersfield Town v Newcastle United U21

2 September 2025 1	Huddersfield Town	v	Newcastle United U21	Huddersfield
19:45 BST				Stadium: Kirklees Stadium

Mansfield Town v Harrogate Town

9 September 2025 1	Mansfield Town	v	Harrogate Town	Mansfield
19:45 BST				Stadium: Field Mill

Harrogate Town v Huddersfield Town

30 September 2025 1	Harrogate Town	v	Huddersfield Town	Harrogate
19:00 BST				Stadium: Wetherby Road

Mansfield Town v Newcastle United U21

15 October 2025 1	Mansfield Town	v	Newcastle United U21	Mansfield
19:45 BST				Stadium: Field Mill

Huddersfield Town v Mansfield Town

4 November 2025 1	Huddersfield Town	v	Mansfield Town	Huddersfield
19:45 GMT				Stadium: Kirklees Stadium

Harrogate Town v Newcastle United U21

11 November 2025 1	Harrogate Town	v	Newcastle United U21	Harrogate
19:01 GMT				Stadium: Wetherby Road

Group G

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

Fleetwood Town v Accrington Stanley

2 September 2025 1	Fleetwood Town	v	Accrington Stanley	Fleetwood
19:00 BST				Stadium: Highbury Stadium

Port Vale v Leeds United U21

2 September 2025 1	Port Vale	v	Leeds United U21	Stoke-on-Trent
19:45 BST				Stadium: Vale Park

Fleetwood Town v Leeds United U21

7 October 2025 1	Fleetwood Town	v	Leeds United U21	Fleetwood
19:00 BST				Stadium: Highbury Stadium

Accrington Stanley v Port Vale

7 October 2025 1	Accrington Stanley	v	Port Vale	Accrington
19:45 BST				Stadium: Crown Ground

Accrington Stanley v Leeds United U21

11 November 2025 1	Accrington Stanley	v	Leeds United U21	Accrington
19:46 GMT				Stadium: Crown Ground

Port Vale v Fleetwood Town

11 November 2025 1	Port Vale	v	Fleetwood Town	Stoke-on-Trent
19:46 GMT				Stadium: Vale Park

Group H

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

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Southern section

Group A

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

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Group B

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

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Group C

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

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Group D

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

Swindon Town v Reading

2 September 2025 1	Swindon Town	v	Reading	Swindon
19:00 BST				Stadium: County Ground

MK Dons v West Ham United U21

16 September 2015 1	MK Dons	v	West Ham United U21	Milton Keynes
19:00 BST				Stadium: Stadium MK

Reading v MK Dons

7 October 2025 1	Reading	v	MK Dons	Reading
19:00 BST				Stadium: Madjeski Stadium

Swindon Town v West Ham United U21

7, 14, 21 or 28 October 2025 1	Swindon Town	v	West Ham United U21	Swindon
				Stadium: County Ground

MK Dons v Swindon Town

11 November 2025 1	MK Dons	v	Swindon Town	Milton Keynes
19:01 GMT				Stadium: Stadium MK

Reading v West Ham United U21

1	Reading	v	West Ham United U21	Reading
				Stadium: Madjeski Stadium

Group E

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

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Group F

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

Peterborough United v Leyton Orient

2 September 2025 1	Peterborough United	v	Leyton Orient	Peterborough
19:00 BST				Stadium: London Road Stadium

Crawley Town v Aston Villa U21

16 September 2025 1	Crawley Town	v	Aston Villa U21	Crawley
19:45 BST				Stadium: Broadfield Stadium

Peterborough United v Aston Villa U21

30 September 2025 1	Peterborough United	v	Aston Villa U21	Peterborough
19:00 BST				Stadium: London Road Stadium

Leyton Orient v Crawley Town

7 October 2025 1	Leyton Orient	v	Crawley Town	Leyton
19:00 BST				Stadium: Brisbane Road

Leyton Orient v Aston Villa U21

28 October 2025 1	Leyton Orient	v	Aston Villa U21	Leyton
19:00 BST				Stadium: Brisbane Road

Crawley Town v Peterborough United

11 November 2025 1	Crawley Town	v	Peterborough United	Crawley
19:46 GMT				Stadium: Broadfield Stadium

Group G

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

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Group H

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

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