Sky Bet League One and League Two teams have been placed into groups for the 2025/26 Vertu Trophy.
The competition is regionalised at the opening stage of the competition – and up until the quarter-finals – with eight groups in the northern section and eight in the southern section.
Each group currently contains three teams, with 16 Premier League teams to be find out their opponents at 2.30pm on Thursday, when the draw is made live on Sky Sports.
The Premier League U21 teams in the northern section are Everton, Leeds, Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Wolves.
The Premier League U21 teams in the southern section are Arsenal, Aston Villa, Brighton, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Tottenham and West Ham.
The first round of fixtures will take place during the first week of September. The final will take place at Wembley on Sunday April 12.
Every Vertu Trophy match during the 2025/26 season will be available to watch live on Sky Sports.
Aston Villa advanced to the round of 16 in 2024/25 – the furthest of any Premier League U21 team
Full draw for 2025/26 Vertu Trophy group stage
Northern section
Group A: Salford City, Stockport County, Wigan Athletic
Group B: Barrow, Blackpool, Tranmere Rovers
Group C: Bradford City, Doncaster Rovers, Grimsby Town
Group D: Barnsley, Lincoln City, Notts County
Group E: Bolton Wanderers, Oldham Athletic, Rotherham United
Group F: Harrogate Town, Huddersfield Town, Mansfield Town
Group G: Accrington Stanley, Fleetwood Town, Port Vale
Group H: Burton Albion, Chesterfield, Crewe Alexandra
Southern section
Group A: Cardiff City, Exeter City, Newport County
Group B: Bristol Rovers, Cheltenham Town, Plymouth Argyle
Group C: Northampton Town, Shrewsbury Town, Walsall
Group D: Milton Keynes Dons, Reading, Swindon Town
Group E: AFC Wimbledon, Bromley, Stevenage
Group F: Crawley Town, Leyton Orient, Peterborough United
Group G: Colchester United, Gillingham, Wycombe Wanderers
Group H: Barnet, Cambridge United, Luton Town
Vertu Trophy 2025/26 prize money breakdown
EFL clubs’ participation: £20,000 per club
Group stages: £10,000 per win, £5,000 per draw
Round of 32: £20,000 per win
Round of 16: £40,000 per win
Quarter-finals: £50,000 per win
Runners-up: £50,000
Winners: £100,000
Who won the Vertu Trophy in 2024/25?
Birmingham were denied a historic league and cup double as Peterborough upset the odds to lift the Vertu Trophy after a 2-0 win at Wembley.
Harley Mills, 19, who started the season on loan at Enfield Town in the National League South, hit an unstoppable free-kick from 30 yards that went in via the underside of the crossbar.
And, on the stroke of half-time, Mills hand a big hand in the second, as his cross from the left was helped on by Ricky-Jade Jones to captain Hector Kyprianou, who slammed home to double the lead, right in front of the opposition fans.
