- The 32-team competition starts next month and will run until April
- All match tickets are held by clubs in the fifth division of English football
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The Premier League has teamed up with the National League to create a new competition that will further promote player development.
The National League Cup involves teams from the fifth tier of English football, alongside teams from Premier League 2.
It is hoped the new competition, which starts in October, will give youngsters from the country’s biggest clubs the chance to test themselves against older opponents.
The competition has 32 teams, which play during the week. All entry fees for the matches are kept by the National League teams themselves.
The participating clubs are divided into four groups of eight. The two best placed teams in each group advance to the knockout stage to determine the winner.
Manchester United are among the Premier League clubs whose youth teams will participate in the competition
Premier League head of football Tony Scholes believes the competition will provide more opportunities for young players
United are drawn in a group with neighbours Rochdale, who have had a good start to the season
Premier League Head of Football Tony Scholes said: “We are delighted to launch this new competition in partnership with the National League.
‘The competition provides additional opportunities for young players in the under-17-21 age groups to gain valuable experience playing against first-team opponents, something many of our current Premier League stars have experienced in their development.
‘We are pleased to be able to support the competition and look forward to seeing the benefits this brings to the clubs in the National League.’
This year’s tournament will feature clubs such as Manchester United, Tottenham and Newcastle.
In addition to the entry fees, National League clubs also receive a share of the total £1 million prize fund made available by the Premier League.
The first round of competitions starts on October 1st, with the final round taking place on April 1st or 2nd.