| Date | R | Home v Away | - |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01/14 19:00 | 9 |
Cheltenham v Colchester
|
View |
| 01/14 19:00 | 9 |
Chesterfield v Rotherham
|
View |
| 01/14 19:00 | 9 |
Lincoln City v Bolton
|
View |
| 01/14 19:30 | 9 |
Swindon v Birmingham
|
View |
| 01/14 19:30 | 9 |
Aston Villa U21 v Bradford
|
View |
| 01/14 19:45 | 9 |
Peterborough v Walsall
|
View |
| 01/21 19:00 | 9 |
Leyton Orient v Stevenage
|
View |
| 02/04 19:00 | 9 |
Port Vale v Wrexham
|
View |
Teams
Oxford Utd
Portsmouth
Peterborough
Port Vale
AFC Wimbledon
Accrington Stanley
Walsall
Bradford
Lincoln City
Cheltenham
Shrewsbury
Exeter
Cambridge Utd
Gillingham
Morecambe
Bolton
Crawley Town
Blackpool
Carlisle
Crewe
Oldham
Scunthorpe
Forest Green
Salford City
Grimsby
Southend
Yeovil
Bury
Luton
Harrogate Town
Barrow
Sutton Utd
Stockport
Sheff Utd
Wrexham
Macclesfield
Swansea U23
Brighton U23
Leicester U23
Sunderland U23
Norwich U23
Dag & Red
Southampton U23
Middlesbrough U23
Everton U23
Derby U23
Bromley
York
Stoke U23
Chelsea U23
Wikipedia - EFL Trophy
The English Football League Trophy, officially known as Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English football knockout competition open to all clubs in EFL League One and EFL League Two and U-21 teams from Premier League and EFL Championship.
Launched in the 1981–82 football season as the Football League Group Cup, it was a replacement for the Anglo-Scottish Cup, which had been discontinued after the withdrawal of Scottish League clubs. It reconstituted as Associate Members' Cup during the 1983–84 season. The competition was renamed the Football League Trophy in 1992 after a reorganisation following the formation of the Premier League and again as the current EFL Trophy in 2016 due to The Football League changing its name to the English Football League.
The current competition begins with 16 regional groups, each containing 4 teams and divided between northern and southern sections depending on the clubs' geographic locations. The top two from each group qualify for the knockout stages before the two winners meet in late March or early April in the final at Wembley Stadium. Some Midlands and East Anglian clubs fluctuate between the north and south each season for every draw. Other details have varied over the years, including in some years inviting clubs from the National League, and holding a round-robin group stage prior to moving into knockout rounds.
The current champions are Peterborough United, who beat Wycombe Wanderers 2–1 in the 2024 final. The most successful club is Bristol City, who have lifted the trophy three times, in 1986, 2003 and 2015, and were finalists in 1987 and 2000.
History
A secondary football league competition was launched in the 1981–82 football season as the Football League Group Cup, which ran as an invitation tournament for 32 clubs from all four levels of the football league. The format was a group stage and knockout tournament. This format ran for two seasons. For the 1983–84 season the tournament was reconstituted as the Associate Members' Cup. The group stage was removed and open only to teams from levels 3 and 4 of the football pyramid. The group stage was subsequently reintroduced in 1985 and later removed in 1996. In 2016 the group stage was brought back. Between 2000 and 2006 teams from level 5 (step 1) of the football pyramid were invited to participate.
In 1992 the tournament rebranded as the Football League Trophy, coinciding with a reorganization following the decision of the First Division clubs at the time to form the Premier League.
In 2016 the competition rebranded to the current EFL Trophy after The Football League rebranding as the English Football League. The first season under the new name saw 16 Category One academies of Premier League and EFL Championship clubs join the competition.
In 2023 participating clubs received a £20,000 participation fee, with £10,000 per victory and £5,000 per draw in the group stage, and increasing prizes for the knockout matches up to £100,000 for winning the final.
The EFL Trophy is structured in a series of group stages followed by knockout rounds, culminating in a final held at a prestigious venue, typically Wembley Stadium. The tournament not only showcases emerging talent from youth academies but also offers clubs the chance to enhance their visibility and engage with local communities.
With its unique blend of established clubs and rising stars, the England EFL Trophy is a thrilling competition that captures the spirit of English football, emphasizing the importance of grassroots development while providing exciting matchups and memorable moments for fans across the country.