The EFL Trophy, known as the Vertu Trophy, should be one of the highlights of the season for lower-league clubs—a competition that offers League One and League Two sides a realistic shot at Wembley glory.
Instead, it has become one of the most controversial and widely boycotted tournaments in English football. The introduction of Premier League Under-21 sides in 2016, intended to improve the development of young talent, has instead alienated fans, undermined the integrity of the competition, and led to dwindling attendance. The very format of the competition suggests that Premier League youth sides are more important than the lower-league clubs that make up the backbone of the English football pyramid.
It’s time for the EFL Trophy to be reformed into a competition that respects the heritage of lower-league football while still offering an opportunity for young players to develop. A new structure could restore interest, fairness, and competitiveness—without sacrificing the benefits of Under-21 involvement.
A Fresh Approach: Turning the First Round into a Pre-Season Friendly
One of the major sticking points in the current format is the way EFL clubs are forced to face Under-21 sides in the group stage, often in front of near-empty stadiums. These matches lack appeal for fans, and the developmental purpose of including academy teams is undermined when EFL clubs field weakened sides.
A simple solution would be to move this first phase, or at least part of it, to pre-season. EFL clubs could face academy sides in several slots, usually scheduled for friendly matches before the season starts. This would allow Premier League clubs to test their young talents against senior professionals, while EFL clubs would benefit from high-quality pre-season opposition. It would still serve the developmental goals of the Premier League, but without diminishing the importance of competitive football for League One and Two sides.
A New Group Stage Format: Balancing Competition and Development
The group stage should be restructured to create a fairer balance between EFL and Under-21 sides. Under this reform, groups would consist of two academy teams and three EFL clubs, making the competition feel more like a genuine lower-league cup rather than a development tool for the elite. The Under-21 sides would only play the league sides, so there were no all-Under-21 fixtures.
The qualification process would also be adjusted:
- The top two EFL clubs in each group progress to the knockout stage.
- The best-performing Under-21 side in the group also qualifies.
This ensures that the focus remains on EFL clubs while still offering academy teams a pathway into the next round. However, to address the concerns of fans who feel that Under-21 sides should not be competing directly for silverware against senior teams, the knockout rounds would be split into two separate brackets.
A Two-Tier Knockout Format: Preserving the Spirit of the Competition
From the knockout stage onwards, the competition would be divided into two distinct tournaments:
- One side of the draw for EFL clubs.
- One side of the draw for Under-21 teams.
This means that academy teams would only play against each other from this point forward, ensuring that an EFL club will always lift the main trophy. Meanwhile, the Under-21 sides would compete in their own bracket, with a separate final. In fairness, few Under 21 teams make it to the next phase anyway, so by splitting, it keeps the element of competition alive longer for them. There could even be a rule change where Under-21 sides could then feature some senior professionals if required, much like the old reserve leagues of the 80s and 90s. This structure allows the Premier League academies to continue their development focus while restoring the EFL Trophy’s integrity for lower-league clubs.
Finals Day: A Celebration of Football
To cap off the competition, the Under-21 final would be played on the same day as the EFL Trophy final—turning Wembley into a true festival of football.
The Under-21 final would take place in the morning, giving young players the chance to experience playing in a major stadium while keeping their competition distinct from the senior game. In the afternoon, the EFL Trophy final would follow, allowing League One and League Two clubs to compete for silverware in front of a full Wembley crowd.
This setup would bring excitement back to the tournament while respecting both the developmental goals of the academy teams and the competitive traditions of the Football League.
Conclusion: A Win-Win Solution for English Football
The current EFL Trophy format is deeply unpopular and has driven fans away from a competition that should be a major event for lower-league football. Reforming it to include a pre-season development phase, a fairer group structure, and a two-tier knockout system would restore credibility while still allowing young players to gain experience.
Football fans have spoken: they want a competition that respects the values of the EFL. A reformed EFL Trophy could achieve just that—if only the authorities are willing to listen.
