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 North - 3
-
- Group North - 3
Rotherham
Newcastle United U21
Group South - 5
-
- Group South - 5
Newport County
Crystal Palace U21
Group North - 8
-
- Group North - 8
Doncaster
Rochdale
Group South - 7
-
- Group South - 7
Cambridge United
Brighton U21
Group North - 2
-
- Group North - 2
Crewe
Wigan
Group South - 1
-
- Group South - 1
Cheltenham
Oxford United
Group South - 7
-
- Group South - 7
Gillingham
Northampton
Group South - 6
-
- Group South - 6
Barnet
Leyton Orient
Group North - 1
-
- Group North - 1
Sheffield Wednesday
Accrington ST
Group North - 8
-
- Group North - 8
Huddersfield
Liverpool U21
Latest played matches, EFL Trophy
Group North - 4
Group North - 2
Group North - 5
Group South - 6
Group South - 1
Group North - 6
Group South - 2
Group South - 3
Group North - 7
Group South - 7
EFL Trophy Standings
EFL Trophy Statistics
Top scorers 2026
| # | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
C. Mills
Leeds United U21 |
4 |
| 2 |
A. Collins
Milton Keynes Dons |
3 |
| 3 |
M. Mellon
Stevenage |
3 |
| 4 |
A. Bristrić
Leicester |
3 |
| 5 |
Harry Ashfield
Peterborough |
3 |
| 6 |
J. Clark
Luton |
3 |
| 7 |
T. Knowles
Barnet |
3 |
| 8 |
G. Miller
Cheltenham |
3 |
| 9 |
Taione Richard Evumena Sodje
Walsall |
2 |
| 10 |
J. Lankester
Crewe |
2 |
Top assists 2026
| # | Player | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
L. Smyth
Notts County |
3 |
| 2 |
C. Barrett
Wigan |
3 |
| 3 |
B. De Cordova-Reid
Leicester |
3 |
| 4 |
M. Palmer
Notts County |
2 |
| 5 |
D. Barlaser
Milton Keynes Dons |
2 |
| 6 |
Patrick Matejko
Barnet |
2 |
| 7 |
B. Knight
Cambridge United |
2 |
| 8 |
A. McGowan
Port Vale |
2 |
| 9 |
C. Woodrow
Bristol Rovers |
2 |
| 10 |
J. Adigun
Stockport County |
2 |
Top key passes
Top yellow cards
- Butcher 2
- Routh 2
- Mendonça 2
- Harvey 2
- T. Murisa 2
- Oakes 2
- Fraser 1
- Savage 1
- Issac Williams 1
- J. Wheeler 1
Top red cards
- T. Ndiaye 1
- Araujo 1
- Smith 1
- 1
- Sutherland 1
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 % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milton Keynes Dons | 11 | 51 |
|
| Port Vale | 8 | 37 |
|
| Stockport County | 8 | 33 |
|
| Stevenage | 8 | 31 |
|
| Huddersfield | 8 | 32 |
|
| Peterborough | 7 | 46 |
|
| Leicester | 7 | 56 |
|
| Wycombe | 7 | 46 |
|
| Luton | 7 | 31 |
|
| Notts County | 7 | 40 |
|
| Blackpool | 7 | 52 |
|
| Plymouth | 7 | 34 |
|
| Exeter City | 6 | 40 |
|
| Leeds United U21 | 6 | 30 |
|
| Bradford | 6 | 28 |
|
| Wigan | 6 | 23 |
|
| Chesterfield | 6 | 23 |
|
| Brighton U21 | 6 | 20 |
|
| Cambridge United | 6 | 25 |
|
| Crewe | 6 | 23 |
|
| Arsenal U21 | 5 | 48 |
|
| Gillingham | 5 | 20 |
|
| Aston Villa U21 | 5 | 33 |
|
| Barnet | 5 | 33 |
|
| Crawley Town | 5 | 35 |
|
| Oldham | 5 | 26 |
|
| Cheltenham | 4 | 27 |
|
| Everton U21 | 4 | 26 |
|
| Walsall | 4 | 24 |
|
| Newport County | 4 | 23 |
|
| Accrington ST | 4 | 38 |
|
| Fleetwood Town | 4 | 20 |
|
| Newcastle United U21 | 4 | 14 |
|
| Sheffield Wednesday | 4 | 21 |
|
| Barnsley | 4 | 47 |
|
| Fulham U21 | 3 | 23 |
|
| Crystal Palace U21 | 3 | 18 |
|
| Liverpool U21 | 3 | 29 |
|
| Manchester City U21 | 3 | 24 |
|
| Chelsea U21 | 3 | 25 |
|
| Rochdale | 3 | 21 |
|
| Sunderland U21 | 3 | 28 |
|
| Salford City | 2 | 34 |
|
| AFC Wimbledon | 2 | 37 |
|
| Leyton Orient | 2 | 40 |
|
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.