A new competition comprising Premier League 2 (PL2) and National League teams has been confirmed to begin in October.
The new National League Cup is being primarily designed to give more experience to young players from the Premier League and English Football League (EFL) against the more experienced players of the National League.
In return, National League clubs will also benefit from hosting PL2 teams, gaining additional exposure and potential revenue growth from ticket sales.
Tony Scholes, Chief Football Officer at the Premier League, said: “We’re excited to launch this new competition in partnership with the National League.
“The competition will provide additional opportunities for young players in the under 17-21 age groups to gain valuable experience of playing against First Team opposition, something many of our current Premier League stars have experienced in their development.
“We’re pleased to be able to support the operation of the competition and look forward to seeing the wider benefits it will bring to National League clubs.”
Beginning in October, 16 teams each from the PL2 and National League will compete by being split into eight separate groups of four teams. Four group stage matches will take place within each of the eight groups, before the best performing two teams from each group qualify for the Quarter-Finals.
The Quarter-Finals will take place between 5-6 February, followed by the Semi-Finals on 11-12 March and the eventual Final on 1-2 April.
The first round of the competition includes fixtures between Oldham Athletic and Stoke City PL2 and FC Halifax Town and Newcastle United PL2, while Dagenham & Redbridge host Tottenham Hotspur PL2.
Mark Ives, General Manager at the National League, added: “This new competition presents another exciting chapter in our partnership with the Premier League.
“Our sides will have a great opportunity to compete against some of the best academy players in the country. We’re excited to be working closer with the Premier League on the operational side of the new competition and look forward to continuing our valued partnership further.”
The National League Cup becomes a component of the Elite Player Performance Plan, which has seen over £2bn of investment into Premier League and EFL academies over the last decade.
