Premier League Cup (football)

Premier League Cup
Founded2013
RegionEngland
Wales
Current championsQueens Park Rangers (1st title)
Most championshipsTen teams
(1 title each)
WebsiteOfficial website
2025–26 Premier League Cup

The Premier League Cup is an English football competition run by the Premier League for under-21 sides.

History

The competition was established in 2013 as the U21 Premier League Cup, an under-21 equivalent of the FA Youth Cup[1][2] (an under-18 competition competed for since 1952), albeit being run by the Premier League instead of The Football Association. In 2016, the age range of the competition was raised to under-23s, and the competition was renamed as the Premier League Cup.

In 2017, the Premier League introduced the U18 Premier League Cup and U16 Premier League Cup (which was changed to the U17 Premier League Cup in 2020)[3] for their respective age groups.[4][5]

In 2022, the age limit was changed back to under-21 to match the changes in Premier League 2.[6]

Winners

Finals

Year Winners Score Runners-up Venue Attendance
2013–14 Reading 4–3[a] Manchester City Etihad Stadium (first leg)
Madejski Stadium (second leg) 		4,873 (first leg)[7]
3,034 (second leg)[8]
2014–15 Southampton 2–1[a] Blackburn Rovers Ewood Park (first leg)
St Mary's Stadium (second leg) 		995 (first leg)[9]
12,356 (second leg)[10]
2015–16 West Ham United 1–1[a][b] Hull City Boleyn Ground (first leg)
KC Stadium (second leg) 		10,267 (first leg)[11]
3,886 (second leg)[12]
2016–17 Swansea City 2–0 Reading Liberty Stadium 2,113[13]
2017–18 Aston Villa 0–0[c] Swansea City Liberty Stadium
2018–19 Everton 1–0 Newcastle United Goodison Park[15]
2019–20 Cancelled[d]
2020–21 Not held[e]
2021–22 West Bromwich Albion 2–2[f] Wolverhampton Wanderers The Hawthorns 7,530[17]
2022–23 Brentford 2–1 Blackburn Rovers Gtech Community Stadium 2,219[18]
2023–24 Fulham 4–0 Tottenham Hotspur Craven Cottage 3,695[19]
2024–25 Queens Park Rangers 3–1 Brentford Loftus Road 7,845[20]
Notes
  1. ^ a b c Aggregate score over two legs
  2. ^ West Ham won 5–3 on penalties
  3. ^ Aston Villa won 4–1 on penalties[14]
  4. ^ The season was curtailed with no champion crowned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom[16]
  5. ^ Not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom[16]
  6. ^ West Bromwich won 5–4 on penalties
Performances by club
Team Winners Runners-up Years won Years runner-up
Reading 1 1 2013–14 2016–17
Swansea City 1 1 2016–17 2017–18
Brentford 1 1 2022–23 2024–25
Southampton 1 0 2014–15 —
West Ham United 1 0 2015–16 —
Aston Villa 1 0 2017–18 —
Everton 1 0 2018–19 —
West Bromwich Albion 1 0 2021–22 —
Fulham 1 0 2023–24 —
Queens Park Rangers 1 0 2024–25 —
Blackburn Rovers 0 2 — 2014–15, 2022–23
Manchester City 0 1 — 2013–14
Hull City 0 1 — 2015–16
Newcastle United 0 1 — 2018–19
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 1 — 2021–22
Tottenham Hotspur 0 1 — 2023–24

U18 Finals

Year Winners Score Runners-up Venue
2017–18 Chelsea 2–0 Tottenham Hotspur Cobham Training Centre[21]
2018–19 Manchester City 1–0 Middlesbrough Riverside Stadium[22]
2019–20 Manchester City 6–0 Stoke City Academy Stadium[23]
2020–21 Tournament not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom[16]
2021–22 Chelsea 2–1 Fulham Craven Cottage[24]
2022–23 Tottenham Hotspur 3–1 Aston Villa Villa Park[25]
2023–24 Manchester United 2–1 Manchester City Leigh Sports Village[26]
2024–25 West Ham United 2–1 Reading Select Car Leasing Stadium[27][28]
2025–26 Crystal Palace 1–1 (6–5 pen.) Manchester United Selhurst Park[29][30]

U17 Finals

Year Winners Score Runners-up Venue
2020–21 Brighton & Hove Albion 2–0 Middlesbrough Riverside Stadium[31]
2021–22 Manchester City 6–0 Tottenham Hotspur Loughborough University[32]
2022–23 Tottenham Hotspur 5–1 Nottingham Forest City Ground[33]
2023–24 Chelsea 3–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Molineux Stadium[34]
2024–25 Tottenham Hotspur 5–2 Charlton Athletic The Lamex Stadium[35]
2025–26 West Ham United 3–2 Blackburn Rovers Wham Stadium[36]

U16 Finals

Year Winners Score Runners-up Venue
2017–18 Manchester City 2–1 Chelsea Cobham Training Centre[37][38]
2018–19 Chelsea 5–2 Arsenal Meadow Park[39]
2019–20 Tournament curtailed with no champion crowned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom[16]
2023–24 Leicester City 2–1 Manchester City King Power Stadium
2024–25 Arsenal 3–1 Chelsea Kingsmeadow[40]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Premier League launches Under-21 Premier League Cup". Premier League. 8 September 2013. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  2. ^ "Under-21 Premier League Cup: Derbies emerge in draw". Premier League. 9 September 2013. Archived from the original on 12 September 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  3. ^ "U17 Premier League Cup: Format explained". Premier League. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  4. ^ "U18 Premier League Cup: Format explained". Premier League. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  5. ^ "U16 Premier League Cup: Format explained". Premier League. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  6. ^ "What's new for 2022/23: PL2 changes age limit". Premier League. 25 July 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  7. ^ "21s Edged In First Leg". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
  8. ^ "CUP WINNERS!". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 19 April 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  9. ^ "MATCHDAY LIVE: Blackburn Rovers U21s v Southampton U21s". Lancashire Telegraph. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
  10. ^ "Blackburn Rovers lose U21s Premier League Cup final decider to Southampton". Lancashire Telegraph. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  11. ^ McGilligan, Conor (11 May 2016). "3 Hull City academy stars that should breakthrough in the 2016/17 season". Football League World. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  12. ^ Whetstone, Sean (4 May 2016). "West Ham win the Premier League U21 Cup". Claret & Hugh. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  13. ^ Booth, Dominic; Gwilym, Andrew (15 May 2017). "Swansea City Under-23s vs Reading RECAP: Adam King's brace secures sensational double as young Swans lift Premier League Cup". Wales Online. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  14. ^ "REPORT: Swans denied cup glory on penalties". swanseacity.com. Swansea City A.F.C. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  15. ^ Jones, Adam (8 May 2019). "Everton U23s complete double with Premier League Cup triumph". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  16. ^ a b c d "Premier League Cup, Competition Format & History". Premier League. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  17. ^ Bent, Louis (13 May 2022). "'Acrobatic' - West Brom vs Wolves Under-23s player ratings from Premier League Cup final". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
  18. ^ "Brentford B 2 Blackburn U21 1". brentfordfc.com. Brentford F.C. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  19. ^ "Cup final heartache for Under-21s". tottenhamhotspur.com. Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  20. ^ "Queens Park Rangers U21 vs Brentford U21 Time & Date, Live TV & Radio Info | 2024/2025 | Premier League Cup". Premier League. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
  21. ^ "Brown inspires U18 PL Cup triumph for Chelsea". Premier League. 18 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  22. ^ Leigh, Neil (14 March 2019). "Nmecha strike seals U18 Premier League Cup glory". mancity.com. Manchester City F.C. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  23. ^ Leigh, Neil (10 March 2020). "Six-hit City seal Under 18 PL Cup glory". mancity.com. Manchester City F.C. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  24. ^ Wilkin, Jake (4 May 2022). "Fulham U18 1–2 Chelsea U18". fulhamfc.com. Fulham F.C. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  25. ^ "U18s: Aston Villa 1–3 Tottenham Hotspur". avfc.co.uk. Aston Villa F.C. 4 May 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  26. ^ "United crowned U18 Premier League Cup champions". manutd.com. Manchester United F.C. 23 April 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  27. ^ "Cup final defeat for young stars". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 22 April 2025. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  28. ^ "Highlights & Report | Ajala brace shoots West Ham United to U18 Premier League Cup". whufc.com. West Ham United F.C. 23 April 2025. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  29. ^ Stone, Simon (22 April 2026). "Fletcher's keeper decision backfires as Palace win U18 cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  30. ^ "U18s Report & Highlights: Penalty perfection claims heroic Palace historic Premier League Cup". cpfc.co.uk. Crystal Palace F.C. 22 April 2026. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  31. ^ Owen, Brian (5 May 2021). "Albion beat Middlesbrough to win Premier League Under-17 Cup". The Argus. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  32. ^ Dickson, Will (6 April 2022). "Clinical City overpower Spurs to lift the Under-17 PL Cup". mancity.com. Manchester City F.C. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  33. ^ "Under-17s taste glory in Premier League Cup!". tottenhamhotspur.com. Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 19 April 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  34. ^ "U17 PL Cup final report: Wolves 1–3 Chelsea". wolves.co.uk. Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 12 April 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  35. ^ "Williams-Barnett stars as Under-17s lift Premier League Cup". tottenhamhotspur.com. Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 11 April 2025. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  36. ^ "Highlights | U17s beat Blackburn to win Premier League Cup". whufc.com. West Ham United F.C. 16 April 2026. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  37. ^ Withey, Abi (12 March 2018). "City lift Under-16 PL Cup". mancity.com. Manchester City F.C. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  38. ^ "Man City lift U16 PL Cup after goal in last minute". Premier League. 13 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  39. ^ "Chelsea beat Arsenal to claim U16 PL Cup". Premier League. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  40. ^ "U16s win 2024/25 Premier League Cup". arsenal.com. Arsenal F.C. 1 May 2025. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.