West Ham United U21s will participate in the first edition of the National League Cup.
The new competition will pit 16 National League clubs – the fifth tier of senior men’s football – against 16 Premier League 2 sides, with the twin aims of giving National League clubs the chance to host the best U21 teams in England in their own stadia, while also offering young players from Premier League and EFL clubs the opportunity to test themselves against senior opposition.
The participants will be split into four groups of eight – four from the National League and four from Premier League 2 – with the National League teams hosting a group-stage tie against each of the four Premier League 2 sides in their group. The top two finishers in each of the four groups will qualify for the quarter-finals.
West Ham have been drawn in Group D alongside National League clubs Braintree Town, Dagenham & Redbridge, Ebbsfleet United and Sutton United, as well as fellow Premier League 2 sides Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion.
The young Hammers kick-off at Cressing Road, where they take on Braintree on Tuesday 5 November at 7.45pm, followed by a journey across London to Gander Green Lane to face Sutton on Tuesday 17 December, also at 7.45pm.
The @premierleague and @TheVanaramaNL have today launched a new competition called The National League Cup 🏆
The 32-team competition features first teams of National League clubs and Premier League 2 sides, designed to further aid elite player development
➡️… pic.twitter.com/O5eWU1IAg5— PL Youth (@PLYouth) September 19, 2024
Into the New Year and the Irons make the short trip to the Kufflink Stadium to tackle Ebbsfleet on Tuesday 7 January 2025 at 7pm, before completing Group D commitments with the even shorter journey to Chigwell Construction Stadium to face Dagenham & Redbridge on Tuesday 21 January at 7.45pm.
Tony Scholes, Chief Football Officer at the Premier League, said: “We’re excited to launch this new competition in partnership with the National League. The competition will provide additional opportunities for young players in the under 17-21 age groups to gain valuable experience of playing against first team opposition, something many of our current Premier League stars have experienced in their development. We’re pleased to be able to support in the operation of the competition and look forward to seeing the wider benefits it will bring to National League clubs.”
Mark Ives, General Manager at the National League, said: “This new competition presents another exciting chapter in our partnership with the Premier League. Our sides will have a great opportunity to compete against some of the best academy players in the country. We’re excited to be working closer with the Premier League on the operational side of the new competition and look forward to continuing our valued partnership further.”
Ticket details for the U21s’ National League Cup Group D ties will be announced in due course.
Supporters should also note that the Premier League 2 fixture against Manchester City on Saturday 5 October will now take place at Joie Stadium at 7pm that evening.
