Menu
England

EFL Trophy

Playoffs

EFL Trophy · 2025

Round of 16

Bristol Rovers3
Plymouth4
3–4
AFC Wimbledon4
West Ham United U212
4–2
Northampton4
Walsall2
4–2
Bolton0
Port Vale1
0–1
Stockport County2
Harrogate Town1
2–1
Luton1
Swindon Town2
1–2
Huddersfield3
Rotherham0
3–0
Doncaster3
Fleetwood Town1
3–1

Quarter-finals

Luton2
Plymouth1
2–1
AFC Wimbledon1
Northampton2
1–2
Port Vale0
Stockport County4
0–4

Semi-finals

Luton2
Northampton1
2–1
Doncaster0
Stockport County1
0–1

Final

Luton3
Stockport County1
3–1

Standings

EFL Trophy · 2025

Current EFL Trophy 2025 standings with 64 teams. Salford City leads the table with 9 points after 3 matches, followed by Stockport County on 5 points. The table shows wins, draws, losses, goals scored and conceded, goal difference, and recent form — essential for pre-match betting analysis.

Playoffs
TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostGoals For:Goals AgainstGoal DiffPointsForm
Group 1
1Salford City33009:3+69
WWW
2Stockport County32017:705
WLW
3Wolves U2131027:10-33
LWL
4Wigan30032:5-31
LLL
Group 2
1Tranmere33006:4+28
WWW
2Blackpool32018:3+56
LWW
3Barrow31023:7-43
WLL
4Nottingham Forest U2130033:6-31
LLL
Group 3
1Doncaster33008:2+69
WWW
2Bradford32018:5+36
LWW
3Grimsby31026:8-23
WLL
4Everton U2130035:12-70
LLL
Group 4
1Lincoln33008:0+89
WWW
2Barnsley31026:603
LWL
3Manchester United U2131024:8-43
WLL
4Notts County31022:6-43
LWL
Group 5
1Bolton330010:2+89
WWW
2Rotherham32017:5+26
WWL
3Manchester City U2131027:8-13
LLW
4Oldham30035:14-90
LLL
Group 6
1Harrogate Town33005:1+49
WWW
2Huddersfield32019:4+56
WLW
3Newcastle United U2131025:11-62
LWL
4Mansfield Town30033:6-31
LLL
Group 7
1Port Vale32019:4+57
LWW
2Fleetwood Town33009:5+47
WWW
3Accrington ST31025:6-14
WLL
4Leeds United U2130033:11-80
LLL
Group 8
1Crewe330012:2+109
WWW
2Chesterfield31024:9-54
LWL
3Burton Albion31023:4-13
LLW
4Liverpool U2131022:6-42
WLL
Group 9
1Cardiff32014:2+26
WLW
2Exeter City32015:4+16
WWL
3Newport County31022:3-13
LWL
4Arsenal U2131026:8-23
LLW
Group 10
1Bristol Rovers33006:4+28
WWW
2Plymouth32018:3+56
LWW
3Cheltenham31022:5-32
WLL
4Tottenham Hotspur U2130038:12-42
LLL
Group 11
1Northampton33006:1+59
WWW
2Walsall32013:2+15
WLW
3Shrewsbury31025:6-13
LLW
4Chelsea U2130031:6-51
LLL
Group 12
1Swindon Town32019:5+46
WLW
2West Ham United U2132019:6+36
WLW
3Reading32016:4+26
WWL
4Milton Keynes Dons30031:10-90
LLL
Group 13
1Stevenage330012:4+89
WWW
2AFC Wimbledon32016:7-16
WWL
3Bromley31025:7-22
LLW
4Crystal Palace U2130036:11-51
LLL
Group 14
1Leyton Orient33006:2+49
WWW
2Peterborough32017:6+16
WWL
3Crawley Town31026:603
LLW
4Aston Villa U2130034:9-50
LLL
Group 15
1Colchester33006:2+49
WWW
2Wycombe32017:3+46
WWL
3Gillingham31025:6-13
LLW
4Fulham U2130032:9-70
LLL
Group 16
1Luton32018:5+36
WLW
2Cambridge United32016:4+26
WLW
3Barnet32015:7-25
WWL
4Brighton U2130032:5-31
LLL

Results

EFL Trophy · 49
View all match results
Final12/04/2026
Luton3–1Stockport County
Sun 12/04
Match Details
Semi-finals03/03/2026–04/03/2026
Luton2–1Northampton
Wed 04/03
Match Details
Doncaster0–1Stockport County
Tue 03/03
Match Details
Quarter-finals10/02/2026–24/02/2026
Luton2–1Plymouth
Tue 24/02
Match Details
Port Vale0–4Stockport County
Tue 10/02
Match Details
Huddersfield1–1SODoncaster
Tue 10/02
Match Details
AFC Wimbledon1–2Northampton
Tue 10/02
Match Details
Round of 1612/01/2026–14/01/2026
Northampton4–2Walsall
Wed 14/01
Match Details
Stockport County2–1Harrogate Town
Tue 13/01
Match Details
Luton1–2Swindon Town
Tue 13/01
Match Details
Huddersfield3–0Rotherham
Tue 13/01
Match Details
Doncaster3–1Fleetwood Town
Tue 13/01
Match Details
Bristol Rovers3–4Plymouth
Tue 13/01
Match Details
Bolton0–1Port Vale
Tue 13/01
Match Details
AFC Wimbledon4–2West Ham United U21
Mon 12/01
Match Details
Round of 3202/12/2025–09/12/2025
Colchester0–1West Ham United U21
Tue 09/12
Match Details
Crewe1–1SOStockport County
Wed 03/12
Match Details
Swindon Town1–0Peterborough
Tue 02/12
Match Details
Tranmere0–3Fleetwood Town
Tue 02/12
Match Details
Stevenage1–2Walsall
Tue 02/12
Match Details
Salford City2–7Rotherham
Tue 02/12
Match Details
Port Vale5–0Barnsley
Tue 02/12
Match Details
Northampton2–0Wycombe
Tue 02/12
Match Details
Luton4–0Exeter City
Tue 02/12
Match Details
Lincoln0–2Huddersfield
Tue 02/12
Match Details
View all match results

Team Stats

Side-by-side performance comparison of all 64 teams in the EFL Trophy. Salford City leads with 3 wins this season. The colour-coded heatmap highlights wins, losses, draws, goals scored and conceded, goal difference, and win percentage — making it easy to spot the strongest and weakest teams at a glance for betting analysis.

Top Scorers

Player profile B. Sharp — career, transfers, stats1B. Sharp · Doncaster5
Player profile L. Tolaj — career, transfers, stats2L. Tolaj · Plymouth4
Player profile A. Sasu — career, transfers, stats3A. Sasu · AFC Wimbledon4
Player profile E. Tezgel — career, transfers, stats4E. Tezgel · Crewe4
Player profile P. Patterson — career, transfers, stats5P. Patterson · Stevenage3
Player profile M. Forss — career, transfers, stats6M. Forss · Bolton3
Player profile J. Taylor — career, transfers, stats7J. Taylor · Huddersfield3
Player profile L. Nordås — career, transfers, stats8L. Nordås · Luton3
Player profile E. Kachunga — career, transfers, stats9E. Kachunga · Cambridge United3
Player profile K. Simon-Swyer — career, transfers, stats10K. Simon-Swyer · Northampton3
Player profile K. Lisbie — career, transfers, stats11K. Lisbie · Peterborough3
Player profile Tom Cursons — career, transfers, stats12Tom Cursons · Harrogate Town3
Player profile C. Stockton — career, transfers, stats13C. Stockton · Salford City3
Player profile Adama Sidibeh — career, transfers, stats14Adama Sidibeh · Stockport County3
Player profile S. Banks — career, transfers, stats15S. Banks · Blackpool3

Top Assists

Player profile R. Curtis — career, transfers, stats1R. Curtis · Plymouth4
Player profile P. Patterson — career, transfers, stats2P. Patterson · Stevenage3
Player profile G. Middleton — career, transfers, stats3G. Middleton · Doncaster3
Player profile R. Taylor — career, transfers, stats4R. Taylor · Bolton3
Player profile L. Fiorini — career, transfers, stats5L. Fiorini · Stockport County3
Player profile James Dornelly — career, transfers, stats6James Dornelly · Peterborough3
Player profile B. Sharp — career, transfers, stats7B. Sharp · Doncaster2
Player profile E. Tezgel — career, transfers, stats8E. Tezgel · Crewe2
Player profile M. Helm — career, transfers, stats9M. Helm · Fleetwood Town2
Player profile C. Sagoe — career, transfers, stats10C. Sagoe · Arsenal U212
Player profile J. Walker — career, transfers, stats11J. Walker · Grimsby2
Player profile J. Vale — career, transfers, stats12J. Vale · Northampton2
Player profile S. Dalby — career, transfers, stats13S. Dalby · Bolton2
Player profile Omar Bugiel — career, transfers, stats14Omar Bugiel · AFC Wimbledon2
Player profile O. Martin — career, transfers, stats15O. Martin · Manchester United U212

Referees

View all referees
RefereeOfficiatedY/MR/M
Referee profile B. Toner — matches, cards, statsB. Toner180.000.00
Referee profile S. Oldham — matches, cards, statsS. Oldham180.000.00
Referee profile C. Hicks — matches, cards, statsC. Hicks170.000.00
Referee profile C. Brook — matches, cards, statsC. Brook160.000.00
Referee profile C. Pollard — matches, cards, statsC. Pollard160.000.00
Referee profile A. Young — matches, cards, statsA. Young150.000.00
Referee profile D. Rock — matches, cards, statsD. Rock140.000.00
Referee profile R. Joyce — matches, cards, statsR. Joyce140.000.00
Referee profile A. Backhouse — matches, cards, statsA. Backhouse130.000.00
Referee profile O. Yates — matches, cards, statsO. Yates130.000.00

Top Cards

Yellow Cards
Player profile Filozofe Mabete — career, transfers, stats1FMFilozofe Mabete · Swindon Town3
Player profile D. Kasumu — career, transfers, stats2DKD. Kasumu · Huddersfield3
Player profile Joel McGregor — career, transfers, stats3JMJoel McGregor · Swindon Town2
Player profile L. Molyneux — career, transfers, stats4LML. Molyneux · Doncaster2
Player profile M. Ross — career, transfers, stats5MRM. Ross · Plymouth2
Player profile T. Taylor — career, transfers, stats6TTT. Taylor · Northampton2
Player profile J. Edwards — career, transfers, stats7JEJ. Edwards · Plymouth2
Player profile T. Eaves — career, transfers, stats8TET. Eaves · Northampton2
Player profile Emeka Adeile — career, transfers, stats9EAEmeka Adeile · West Ham United U212
Player profile R. Howley — career, transfers, stats10RHR. Howley · Bristol Rovers2
Red Cards
Player profile Joel McGregor — career, transfers, stats1JMJoel McGregor · Swindon Town1
Player profile T. Gale — career, transfers, stats2TGT. Gale · Bolton1
Player profile R. Lopata-White — career, transfers, stats3RLR. Lopata-White · Leeds United U211
Player profile K. Szűcs — career, transfers, stats4KSK. Szűcs · Plymouth1
Player profile J. Fletcher — career, transfers, stats5JFJ. Fletcher · Manchester United U211
Player profile S. Bennett — career, transfers, stats6SBS. Bennett · Cheltenham1
Player profile H. Brown — career, transfers, stats7HBH. Brown · Grimsby1
Player profile A. Abdulai — career, transfers, stats8AAA. Abdulai · Leyton Orient1
Player profile Alexei Rojas Fedorushchenko — career, transfers, stats9AFAlexei Rojas Fedorushchenko · Arsenal U211
Player profile Benn David Ward — career, transfers, stats10BWBenn David Ward · Accrington ST1

Teams

EFL Trophy

All 64 teams competing in the EFL Trophy 2025 season. Click any club to view their full squad, match history, and detailed statistics.

HuddersfieldCardiffReadingWiganBoltonRotherhamBarnsleyBurton AlbionAFC WimbledonBristol RoversFleetwood TownNorthamptonWalsallBradfordChesterfieldGillinghamMilton Keynes DonsOldhamPeterboroughPort ValeShrewsburySwindon TownDoncasterBlackpoolPlymouthWycombeLutonAccrington STColchesterCrawley TownCreweExeter CityGrimsbyNewport CountyStevenageBarnetCambridge UnitedCheltenhamLeyton OrientMansfield TownNotts CountyLincolnTranmereBarrowBromleyHarrogate TownSalford CityStockport CountyArsenal U21Aston Villa U21Brighton U21Chelsea U21Everton U21Fulham U21Liverpool U21Manchester City U21Manchester United U21Newcastle United U21Tottenham Hotspur U21West Ham United U21Wolves U21Leeds United U21Crystal Palace U21Nottingham Forest U21

Past Seasons

EFL Trophy

Browse 15 archived seasons of the EFL Trophy, from 2011 to 2025. Each season page includes full standings, top scorers, and match results — useful for comparing historical performance and identifying long-term betting patterns.

History 16 Mar 2025

Founded1983Preceded byAssociate Members' Cup

The EFL Trophy emerged in 1983 as the Associate Members' Cup, initially designed to provide competitive football for clubs outside the top divisions. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the competition evolved through various sponsorship arrangements, including the Freight Rover Trophy and Sherpa Van Trophy eras. In 2016, the competition was rebranded as the EFL Trophy and underwent significant structural reform to include Premier League under-21 academies alongside the 48 professional EFL clubs. This expansion transformed the tournament into a development platform for academy football while maintaining opportunities for lower-league clubs to compete for silverware. The introduction of the group stage format in 2016 replaced the traditional straight knockout, creating a more balanced and geographically sensible structure that has become the modern format.

  • —1983 — Associate Members' Cup established for Football League clubs outside the top divisions
  • —1985 — Freight Rover Trophy final at Wembley Stadium becomes a fixture in the English football calendar
  • —2015 — Bristol City wins the trophy, their third title in the competition's history
  • —2016 — Competition rebranded as EFL Trophy with new group stage format and academy team inclusion
  • —2019 — Salford City wins the trophy in their first season in the Football League
  • —2022 — Peterborough United claims their third EFL Trophy title, equalling Bristol City's record

Competition Format 16 Mar 2025

Teams64

The EFL Trophy operates through a unique two-stage format combining group play and knockout rounds. All 64 teams—48 EFL clubs from Leagues One and Two plus 16 Premier League under-21 academies—enter at the group stage, divided into 16 regional groups of four teams. Teams play three matches within their group on a home-and-away basis where geographically feasible, earning three points for a win and one for a draw. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage, which proceeds as a straight elimination tournament. This structure ensures geographical balance while maintaining competitive integrity, allowing lower-league clubs genuine opportunities to progress and compete for the trophy without the financial burden of extensive travel.

Records 16 Mar 2025

Most titlesBristol City (3)

The 2024/25 season saw 127 matches played across all rounds, generating 404 total goals at an average of 3.18 per match, demonstrating the competition's attacking nature and suitability for development football.

Analysis 16 Mar 2025

Current Season Analysis

Salford City has established themselves as the dominant force in the 2024/25 EFL Trophy group stage, maintaining an impressive perfect record. With three matches played and three consecutive victories, the club has accumulated 9 points and scored 9 goals while conceding only 3, demonstrating both defensive solidity and attacking prowess. Their goal difference of +6 places them clear at the summit of their group, with a 100% win rate that showcases their credentials as serious contenders for the trophy.

Stockport County occupy second position with a respectable 5 points from three matches, having won two games and suffered one defeat. Their record of 7 goals for and 7 against reflects a more balanced group dynamic, with their 67% win rate indicating consistency despite the one setback. The club remains firmly positioned to advance from their group and challenge in the knockout stages, though they trail Salford City's early dominance.

The battle for the third qualification spot reveals the competitive depth of the competition. Wolves U21 currently hold third place with 3 points from three matches, while Wigan Athletic occupy fourth with just 1 point from their three games. The Academy side's 33% win rate contrasts sharply with Wigan's winless campaign, which has yielded only a single point from draws. This early-season struggle for Wigan suggests potential difficulties in their group's knockout progression, though the tournament's group stage remains fluid with matches ongoing.

Aaron Collins of Bolton Wanderers has emerged as the tournament's leading goalscorer with 6 goals, establishing himself as the standout individual performer in the 2024/25 competition. His prolific form highlights the development opportunities the EFL Trophy provides for talented players in lower divisions, with his goals directly contributing to Bolton's competitive challenge throughout the group stage.

The inclusion of 16 Premier League under-21 academy teams continues to add an intriguing dimension to the competition, with sides such as Aston Villa U21 and Manchester City U21 competing alongside established EFL professionals. This unique blend of development football and lower-league ambition creates unpredictable matchups, with academy sides providing both quality opposition and opportunities for established clubs to test younger players in competitive fixtures.

The Role of Academy Football in Modern Competition

The integration of Premier League under-21 academies has fundamentally transformed the EFL Trophy since 2016. These 16 academy sides provide a competitive outlet for developing talent while offering EFL clubs the prestige of competing against academy squads from England's elite clubs. The arrangement benefits all parties: academy players gain meaningful competitive experience in structured tournaments, EFL clubs enjoy higher-profile fixtures that enhance their commercial appeal, and the competition itself maintains strong attendance and engagement through this mixture of professional and development football.

The regional group structure ensures that academy teams are distributed geographically, preventing excessive travel while maintaining competitive balance. This thoughtful format design has made the EFL Trophy increasingly popular among lower-league clubs, who view the competition as a genuine opportunity to claim silverware and gain exposure on the national stage. The tournament's accessibility—with 32 of 64 teams advancing from the group stage—ensures that most participating clubs have realistic knockout aspirations, maintaining engagement throughout the season.

Historical Significance and Club Records

Bristol City's three EFL Trophy titles (1986, 2003, 2015) established them as the competition's most successful club before Peterborough United matched their record with victories in 2013/14, 2016/17, and 2021/22. These achievements underscore how the competition provides genuine silverware opportunities for ambitious lower-league clubs, with both clubs using their trophy success as stepping stones toward promotion and higher-division consolidation. The frequency of recent titles—particularly Peterborough's three wins within nine seasons—demonstrates the tournament's evolution into a significant competitive platform rather than a secondary consideration.

The competition's history reflects the changing landscape of English football, from its origins as the Associate Members' Cup in 1983 through various sponsorship eras including the Freight Rover Trophy and Sherpa Van Trophy periods. Each iteration brought different challenges and opportunities, but the fundamental purpose remained constant: providing competitive football for clubs outside the elite divisions. The modernization in 2016, introducing academy teams and restructuring the format, positioned the EFL Trophy as a contemporary competition that balances tradition with innovation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many teams compete in the EFL Trophy?

Exactly 64 teams compete in the EFL Trophy: 48 clubs from Football League One and League Two, plus 16 Premier League under-21 academy sides. This ensures a balanced competition combining professional and development football.

What is the format of the EFL Trophy?

The EFL Trophy uses a group stage followed by knockout rounds. All 64 teams are divided into 16 regional groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage, which proceeds as straight elimination.

When was the EFL Trophy founded?

The EFL Trophy was first established in 1983 as the Associate Members' Cup. It was rebranded as the EFL Trophy in 2016 and restructured to include Premier League under-21 academies alongside the 48 professional EFL clubs.

Which clubs have won the EFL Trophy the most times?

Bristol City and Peterborough United share the record with three titles each. Bristol City won in 1986, 2003, and 2015, while Peterborough United won in 2013/14, 2016/17, and 2021/22.

Is there European football at stake in the EFL Trophy?

No, the EFL Trophy does not provide European competition qualification. It is a domestic knockout competition designed primarily to provide silverware opportunities for lower-league clubs and development football for academy sides.

How does the group stage tiebreaker work?

When teams are equal on points in their group, tiebreakers are applied in this order: goal difference, goals scored, then head-to-head record between the tied teams. This ensures fairness across the geographically dispersed regional groups.

API data: 12 May 2026 · Content updated: 16 Mar 2025