A Top-Flight Favour And Little Else - Why Premier League Clubs Have No Place In The EFL Trophy

A Top-Flight Favour And Little Else - Why Premier League Clubs Have No Place In The EFL Trophy

The EFL Trophy, currently known as the Vertu Motors Trophy for sponsorship purposes, is an annual knockout cup competition in English football contested primarily by clubs from League One and League Two, the third and fourth tiers of the English football league system. Traditionally, the competition has been valued as an opportunity for lower-league clubs to experience a cup run, play under the Wembley arch, and potentially claim silverware. For many smaller clubs—and their supporters—a trip to Wembley can represent a once-in-a-generation moment.

However, the character and purpose of the competition have changed significantly since the introduction of sixteen Under-21 (U21) sides from Premier League and Championship academies. This change expanded the tournament from a 48-team competition to a 64-team one, but it also created widespread controversy and a deep sense of dissatisfaction among fans and EFL clubs.

The main reason behind the backlash is rooted in the fear of what this decision might eventually lead to. Supporters believe that allowing U21 teams into the competition is the first step toward introducing full “B Teams” from elite clubs into the English football pyramid—an idea overwhelmingly rejected by fans across the country. English football culture places enormous value on tradition, competition, and the integrity of the league system. The idea of established clubs’ reserve teams replacing or competing alongside historical community clubs strikes many fans as a threat to the identity of lower-league football itself.

Alongside this, the competitive integrity of the competition has been tarnished, as big professional clubs such as Bolton and Barnsley are playing against academy sides full of teenagers, meaning many of the professional clubs are playing rested elevens in these games too and treating it as more of a training exercise instead of a competitive fixture.

It is also clear that Under-21 teams do not bring in as high attendances as these EFL clubs could if they were playing each other in a competitive game, which further establishes the point of the tournament losing its competitive integrity. It is starting to feel as if the EFL are prioritising the elite clubs from the Premier League over EFL clubs when they make decisions such as this and giving Premier League clubs competing in European competitions an advantage in the Carabao Cup.

One. Yes, one U21 side getting through the group stages.

Get them gone, and get this competition, attendances and hype back to where it should be. #ECFC | #BTeamBoycott https://t.co/WbnEk1wpUA

— Exeter City News (@exetercity1904) November 12, 2025

If the EFL genuinely wanted to expand the competition, many fans argue that there were far more suitable alternatives. One idea that receives consistent support is the inclusion of National League clubs instead of U21 academy teams. This would maintain the competition’s integrity by ensuring that all participating sides are senior, professional teams that compete within the proper league pyramid.

Including National League clubs would keep the spirit of the “proper cup” alive—one in which teams of similar status face off, and in which giant-killings, underdog runs, and big away followings are still possible.

From a financial perspective, this alternative would likely have created broader benefits across the entire football pyramid. National League clubs often have strong local support and would likely bring larger away followings than U21 teams. Fixtures would therefore be more competitive, more meaningful, and more profitable for all clubs involved. In turn, this would help strengthen the financial stability of the lower tiers of English football, something that should be a priority for the EFL.

It shouldn’t stop at the 3up campaign either. The EFL trophy and National League cup should be scrapped and one tournament created for L1, L2 and the VNL without U21 teams. Time for the EFL to realise the VNL is professional and U21 teams in the trophy is a failed experiment

— Luke (@lukecfc5) November 15, 2025

Another huge problem that EFL clubs face since the addition of the Under-21 Premier League and Championship clubs to the EFL Trophy is that the academy players are getting experience in professional football in this competition, rather than being loaned out to EFL clubs to help their development.

The benefit of loaning youngsters from Premier League academies for EFL clubs is massive, as it gives them access to players with higher abilities that they couldn’t afford to buy on a permanent basis. So, this decision, as well as making what should be a fierce cup competition a practice exercise, has also possibly weakened the footballing pyramid slightly rather than giving the benefits that adding National League clubs would bring to it.

In summary, while the introduction of U21 teams into the EFL Trophy was intended to modernise and expand the competition, it has instead generated dissatisfaction among supporters, players, and clubs. Issues concerning declining attendances, reduced competitive integrity, threats to the structure of the pyramid, and weakened loan opportunities continue to overshadow whatever benefits the EFL hoped to achieve.