The English Football League Trophy (EFL Trophy) Explained

A complete guide to the EFL Trophy, the competition for League One and League Two clubs often dismissed as minor but with passionate attendances and genuine trophy significance for smaller clubs.

The English Football League Trophy is the most misunderstood competition in English football. Often dismissed by Premier League fans as a glorified pre-season tournament, the EFL Trophy is in fact one of the most meaningful trophies a lower-league club can lift. Here’s a complete guide to what the EFL Trophy is, how it works, and why it matters more than the headlines suggest.

What is the EFL Trophy?

The EFL Trophy is an annual knockout competition open to clubs in EFL League One and League Two, plus 16 invited Under-21 academy sides from Premier League and Championship clubs. 

The competition is currently known as the Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons, though Vertu Motors has held the title sponsorship since 2023 under both its previous Bristol Street Motors branding and its current consolidated Vertu name.

The competition was launched in 1983 as the Associate Members' Cup, designed specifically to give third- and fourth-tier clubs a realistic chance of playing at Wembley. Over four decades, the trophy has had more name changes than almost any in English football, including the Football League Trophy, the Auto Windscreens Shield, the LDV Vans Trophy, the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and, in its most recognisable modern incarnation, the Papa John's Trophy from 2020 to 2023.

Who can enter?

The EFL Trophy is open to all 48 clubs in League One and League Two. They are joined by 16 invited Under-21 sides from Premier League and Championship clubs with Category One academies, taking the total field to 64 teams.

The Premier League’s academy involvement is the most controversial part of the competition. Since the format was changed in 2016 to invite top-flight academy sides, many lower-league fans have boycotted the trophy in protest. 

That said, academy involvement has produced its own legacy. Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Reece James and Conor Gallagher all made their senior debuts in the competition, and the trophy plays a real role in bridging the gap between academy football and the professional game.

How does the format work?

The EFL Trophy format begins with 16 regional groups of four teams, divided into Northern and Southern sections to keep early travel to a minimum. Each group contains one Category One academy side and three EFL clubs.

Group games run from August through November, with each side playing three matches. It’s the usual three points for a win, but matches that finish level after 90 minutes go straight to a penalty shootout, with the winners of the shootout taking two points and the losers picking up one. There is no extra time at this stage.

The top two teams from each group qualify for a 32-team knockout, played out as single-leg ties through to the final. From the Round of 32 onwards, ties go to extra time, then penalties if needed. The final is played at Wembley, traditionally in March or April.

Why do fans actually care about it?

For Premier League fans, the EFL Trophy might feel disposable. For supporters of League One and League Two clubs, it is one of the few realistic chances of a Wembley day out and a piece of silverware to put in the cabinet.

The Wembley factor is what drives the competition's appeal. Most lower-league clubs will go decades without seeing their team walk out at the national stadium. The EFL Trophy guarantees two finalists every year, and the run to Wembley generates real revenue, real memories and a real lift for clubs that often run on tight margins.

The financial side matters too. The competition's prize pot has grown to nearly £3 million in recent seasons, providing meaningful income for clubs in League One and League Two. For a Football League club, the difference between a deep run and an early exit can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The most memorable finals in recent memory

The 2019 final stands out for sheer scale. Portsmouth beat Sunderland on penalties after a 2-2 draw in front of 85,021 supporters, the largest attendance ever recorded for the competition.

Bristol City and Peterborough United are the two most successful clubs in the trophy's history, each having lifted it three times. Peterborough's 2024/25 win over Birmingham City, which they won 2-0, was their third triumph and made them joint-record holders.

Sunderland have also appeared in three finals between 2019 and 2021, winning one and losing two. Their fanbase took the competition more seriously than most third-tier supporters in living memory, and their 2021 final win during the lockdown era proved that even an empty Wembley could produce moments worth remembering.

Follow all the EFL action with Match Bingo

The EFL Trophy is exactly the sort of competition Match Bingo was built for. Goals, corners, cards and chaos, group-stage drama, and the unpredictability of cup football all season long.

Whether you follow your local club through the regional groups, get caught up in the Wembley atmosphere on the final day, or just enjoy lower-league football for what it is, every match adds another square to fill on your card. 

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