West Ham United U21s will once again face international opposition this season as they take part in the Premier League International Cup (PLIC). It will be the young Hammers’ sixth participation since the tournament’s inception.
First introduced in the 2014/15 season as part of a strategy to provide Premier League Academies with international experiences, the PLIC comprises of the 16 top finishers in the Premier League 2 and 16 invited international clubs.
Participating clubs are split into four groups of eight, with four PL2 and four invited international clubs occupying each group. Each side play four group-stage games, with every fixture featuring one PL2 team hosting an international opponent at their home ground. The top two of each group progress to the quarter-finals.
Drawn in Group B, Mark Robson’s charges will begin their PLIC campaign later this month against SL Benfica on Tuesday 24 September. The young Hammers will then host Athletic Club, Olympique Lyonnais and Borussia Mönchengladbach. Meanwhile, the other PL2 clubs in Group B are Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough and Sunderland.
West Ham’s development side will be hoping to build on their best tournament run last season, reaching the semi-finals where they were narrowly defeated by defending champions PSV Eindhoven.
Venues and ticket information for West Ham United’s PLIC group stage fixtures will be announced in due course.
Premier League International Cup confirmed fixtures
West Ham United U21s v SL Benfica, Tuesday 24 September, 7pm
West Ham United U21s v Athletic Club, Wednesday 2 October, 7pm
West Ham United U21s v Olympique Lyonnais, Tuesday 3 December, 7pm
West Ham United U21s v Borussia Mönchengladbach, Tuesday 10 December, 7pm
*Please note all fixtures are subject to change
