Aston Villa has done it – the Villans have made history! They reached the round of 16 in the 2024/25 Vertu Trophy, achieving a milestone as the farthest ever Premier League U21 team to progress in the tournament’s history. The draw for the next round takes place on Thursday. The sixteen Premier League teams will then be divided into groups to fight their way through the bracket. This year, the new tournament dynamic includes thrilling Northern and Southern sections, each made up of eight groups.
Overview of Group Composition
The Northern part of the Vertu Trophy is made up of eight groups, each containing three teams. Group A consists of Salford City, Stockport County, and Wigan Athletic. In Group B, we find Barrow, Blackpool, and Tranmere Rovers.
In Group C, Bradford City play Doncaster Rovers and Grimsby Town. Group D includes Barnsley, Lincoln City, and Notts County. Group F features clubs like the Bolton Wanderers, Oldham Athletic and Rotherham United. Harrogate Town, Huddersfield Town and Mansfield Town make up Group F. Accrington Stanley, Fleetwood Town, and Port Vale fill out Group G, and last, in Group H are Burton Albion, Chesterfield and Crewe Alexandra.
Cardiff City, Exeter City and Newport County form Group A. Joining Group B are fellow south-west clubs Bristol Rovers, Cheltenham Town and Plymouth Argyle. Group C includes former League One clubs, Northampton Town, Shrewsbury Town, and Walsall. Milton Keynes Dons, Reading and Swindon Town make up Group D, with AFC Wimbledon, Bromley and Stevenage in Group E. Crawley Town, Leyton Orient and Peterborough United compete in Group F. At the same time as that championship clash, Colchester United take on Gillingham and Wycombe Wanderers in Group G. Lastly, fellow FLYN alumni Barnet, along with Cambridge United and Luton Town round out Group H.
Prize Structure and Participation Benefits
To encourage participation, EFL clubs taking part in the Vertu Trophy receive a financial incentive of £20,000. On top of that, teams can win huge bonuses during the course of the tournament for playing well. That’s because each of the group stage wins is worth £10,000 and a draw brings in £5,000. Moving on to the Round of 32 comes with a £20,000 reward for victory. The winner’s share jumps significantly in the Round of 16, with a winning team netting £40,000. Quarter-final winners will get £50,000, with the eventual runners-up in the tournament set to earn £50,000. The final reward for the winners is an impressive £100,000.
Broadcasting Details
And for the 2025/26 season, fans will have plenty of chances to catch the matches live as they happen. Sky Sports have exclusive live match coverage rights for each match of the Vertu Trophy season. The draw for the 16 Premier League teams is set to be made live on Sky Sports at 2:30 pm on Thursday. This should further increase excitement leading up to the tournament, as clubs compete for their moment in history and a healthy cash prize.
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