The EFL Trophy is a men’s cup competition in England, established in 1983. This page brings together live scores, fixtures, results, standings and player and team statistics, helping visitors follow the competition across its available seasons. It also offers a clear reference for checking results and reviewing performance data in one convenient place for reference.
Upcoming matches, EFL Trophy
Group South - 2
-
- Group South - 2
Leicester
Fulham U21
Group South - 1
-
- Group South - 1
Cheltenham
Exeter City
Group North - 1
-
- Group North - 1
Sheffield Wednesday
Salford City
Group South - 2
-
- Group South - 2
Stevenage
Walsall
Group North - 8
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- Group North - 8
Rochdale
Liverpool U21
Group North - 7
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- Group North - 7
Fleetwood Town
Oldham
Group North - 2
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- Group North - 2
Blackpool
Wigan
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- Group North - 2
Crewe
Aston Villa U21
Group North - 3
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- Group North - 3
Rotherham
York
Group North - 4
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- Group North - 4
Chesterfield
Port Vale
Latest played matches, EFL Trophy
Group South - 3
Group North - 4
Group North - 3
Group South - 6
Group South - 5
Group North - 8
Group South - 1
Group South - 3
Group North - 4
Group South - 6
EFL Trophy Standings
EFL Trophy Statistics
Top scorers 2026
| # | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
T. Knowles
Barnet |
3 |
| 2 |
B. Graham
Everton U21 |
2 |
| 3 |
K'Marni Miller
Wigan |
1 |
| 4 |
M. Mothersille
Stockport County |
1 |
| 5 |
K. Doyle
Brighton U21 |
1 |
| 6 |
L. Ayinde
Doncaster |
1 |
| 7 |
J. Stockley
AFC Wimbledon |
1 |
| 8 |
Armando Quitirna
Wycombe |
1 |
| 9 |
J. Catesby
Everton U21 |
1 |
| 10 |
D. Rose
Exeter City |
1 |
Top assists 2026
| # | Player | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Patrick Matejko
Barnet |
2 |
| 2 |
J. Adigun
Stockport County |
2 |
| 3 |
C. Barrett
Wigan |
1 |
| 4 |
A. Yiadom
AFC Wimbledon |
1 |
| 5 |
C. Camps
Stockport County |
1 |
| 6 |
J. Gordon
Exeter City |
1 |
| 7 |
C. Humphreys
Huddersfield |
1 |
| 8 |
D. Kyerewaa
Reading |
1 |
| 9 |
A. Fletcher
Huddersfield |
1 |
| 10 |
R. Greenhalgh
Wigan |
1 |
Top key passes
Top tackles
Top yellow cards
- Chukwuedo Chilokoa-Mullen 1
- Broggio 1
- van Schoor 1
- Gilchrist 1
- T. Murisa 1
- Feeney 1
- Obiero 1
- Rose 1
- Comley 1
- Knowles 1
Top red cards
EFL Trophy teams participation since 2011
History
| Team | Nb participations |
|---|---|
| AFC Wimbledon | 15 |
| Northampton | 15 |
| Walsall | 15 |
| Bradford | 15 |
| Gillingham | 15 |
| Port Vale | 15 |
| Shrewsbury | 15 |
| Swindon Town | 15 |
| Accrington ST | 15 |
| Colchester | 15 |
| Crawley Town | 15 |
| Crewe | 15 |
| Exeter City | 15 |
| Stevenage | 15 |
| Bristol Rovers | 14 |
| Fleetwood Town | 14 |
| Milton Keynes Dons | 14 |
| Wycombe | 14 |
| Carlisle | 14 |
| Cheltenham | 14 |
| Morecambe | 14 |
| Burton Albion | 13 |
| Oxford United | 13 |
| Doncaster | 13 |
| Plymouth | 13 |
| Newport County | 13 |
| Leyton Orient | 13 |
| Mansfield Town | 13 |
| Rochdale | 12 |
| Oldham | 12 |
| Peterborough | 12 |
| Portsmouth | 12 |
| Cambridge United | 12 |
| Tranmere | 12 |
| Scunthorpe | 11 |
| Notts County | 11 |
| Southend | 10 |
| Charlton | 9 |
| Chesterfield | 9 |
| Blackpool | 9 |
| Grimsby | 9 |
| Lincoln | 9 |
| Brighton U21 | 9 |
| Chelsea U21 | 9 |
| Manchester City U21 | 9 |
EFL Trophy top scorer teams
Goals scored vs. conversion rate
| Team | Goals scored | Total shots | Conversion % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockport County | 6 | 18 |
|
| Barnet | 5 | 20 |
|
| Chesterfield | 5 | 10 |
|
| Brighton U21 | 3 | 5 |
|
| Everton U21 | 3 | 11 |
|
| Manchester City U21 | 3 | 13 |
|
| Huddersfield | 3 | 15 |
|
| Newcastle United U21 | 3 | 7 |
|
| Arsenal U21 | 3 | 26 |
|
| Wycombe | 3 | 27 |
|
| Wigan | 3 | 9 |
|
| Exeter City | 2 | 17 |
|
| Crystal Palace U21 | 2 | 9 |
|
| Leyton Orient | 2 | 40 |
|
| Aston Villa U21 | 2 | 12 |
|
| AFC Wimbledon | 1 | 9 |
|
| Chelsea U21 | 1 | 8 |
|
| York | 1 | 17 |
|
| Swindon Town | 1 | 8 |
|
| Doncaster | 1 | 14 |
|
| Reading | 1 | 15 |
|
| Northampton | 0 | 15 |
|
| Tottenham Hotspur U21 | 0 | 5 |
|
EFL Trophy About
EFL Trophy, currently styled the Bristol Street Motors Trophy for sponsorship purposes, is an annual men’s knockout cup competition in England organised by the English Football League (EFL). It is designed primarily for clubs from EFL League One and League Two, while also creating a competitive pathway for elite young players from Category One academies.
Purpose and place in English football
The competition occupies a distinctive position in the English football pyramid. Its 48 core entrants are the clubs competing in League One and League Two, the third and fourth tiers of the EFL. They are joined by 16 invited Under-21 academy sides from Premier League and Championship clubs with Category One academy status, giving the tournament a total field of 64 teams.
For lower-league clubs, the EFL Trophy offers a realistic opportunity to compete for silverware and reach a major final at Wembley Stadium. For academy teams, it provides senior-style competitive football against established professional opposition. That combination gives the competition a dual purpose: supporting the development of emerging players while preserving a meaningful national cup route for League One and League Two clubs.
Although it is rooted in the domestic English game, the competition has attracted a wider audience through the participation of prominent academy sides and its role in showcasing future professional talent. Matches are generally scheduled in midweek, helping clubs manage the tournament alongside their league programmes.
Origins and development
The competition was established in 1983 as the Associate Members’ Cup. It was created for clubs outside the top two divisions at a time when those teams had fewer opportunities to contest a high-profile national final. The tournament subsequently appeared under a succession of commercial and organisational titles, including the Freight Rover Trophy and the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. It became the Football League Trophy in 1992 and adopted the name EFL Trophy in 2016, reflecting the modern identity of its governing organisation.
The competition has also changed structurally. The introduction of Category One academy teams broadened its developmental role, while the current format combines regional group football with a national knockout finish. Its enduring attraction remains the possibility of a Wembley appearance, which brings sporting prestige and can provide an important financial boost for lower-league clubs.
Entry requirements and squad rules
All 48 League One and League Two clubs enter automatically. The remaining places are reserved for 16 invited academy teams from eligible Premier League and Championship clubs. Each group contains one academy side, and academy teams play all of their group matches away from home.
The regulations also aim to ensure that EFL clubs treat the competition as meaningful senior football rather than simply a reserve-team exercise. An EFL club must include at least four qualifying players in its starting line-up. These are generally established first-team players or players who meet the required threshold of senior experience, such as having made 40 or more career starts. Academy sides must start at least six players who are Under-21 on 30 June of the relevant season. Specific squad provisions can vary by edition, so the applicable season regulations remain decisive.
Competition format
The group phase consists of 16 groups of four, divided between Northern and Southern sections. Each group normally contains three EFL clubs and one invited academy side. Teams play three group matches, with the strongest two advancing to the Round of 32.
Group winners are seeded in the first knockout round and receive home advantage against a runner-up from the same regional section. The regional structure continues through the Round of 32, Round of 16 and Quarter-Finals, limiting travel and helping preserve local balance in the draw. After the Quarter-Finals, the competition becomes nationwide: the Semi-Final draw is open rather than divided into Northern and Southern sections. All knockout matches are single-leg ties.
Points, penalties and deciding matches
A group-stage victory is worth three points and a defeat brings none. When a group match is level after 90 minutes, the teams go directly to a penalty shootout. Both sides receive one point for the draw, while the shootout winner gains an additional point, giving that team two points in total.
In the knockout rounds, a match level after 90 minutes is normally decided immediately by penalties, with no extra time. The final is the exception. If the score is level after 90 minutes at Wembley, the teams play 30 minutes of extra time before a penalty shootout if required.
Seasonal calendar and sporting stakes
The group stage usually begins in September and is completed by November. The Round of 32 and later knockout rounds are generally played during the winter, with the Semi-Finals followed by a showcase final in late March or early April. The exact dates can change from season to season, but the competition consistently builds from regional midweek fixtures towards a national Wembley occasion.
Winning the EFL Trophy brings silverware, medals and a place in one of English football’s most recognisable domestic finals. More broadly, the tournament links the competitive needs of established lower-league clubs with the development ambitions of leading academies, making it a distinctive part of the modern English cup calendar.