The English Football League (EFL) has confirmed the 16 invited sides from Premier League Clubs with Category One Academies that will participate in the 2024/25 Bristol Street Motors Trophy competition. These under-21 teams include Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Everton, Fulham, Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and last season’s quarter-finalists, Brighton & Hove Albion.
Group Stage Format:
- All 64 teams will enter from Round One.
- They will be split into 16 regional groups, with eight teams in the Northern region and eight in the Southern region.
- The 16 invited under-21 teams will be placed into their respective Northern and Southern regional Groups.
- The remaining 48 EFL Clubs will be pre-assigned to specific groups prior to the draw.
Port Vale’s Group:
- Port Vale has been drawn in Group B for this season’s Bristol Street Motors Trophy.
- In Group B, they will compete alongside Salford City and Wrexham.
- One academy team from the Northern section will complete the group.
Draw Details:
- The draw for the Group Stages will take place live on Sky Sports News on Thursday, June 27, at 2:30 pm.
- The matches will commence in early September, with specific dates to be confirmed after the EFL’s Fixture Release Day on June 26.
