Overview

• Ipswich Town upgraded their academy to Category One this summer and will host Derby County in their PL2 debut on August 15, with venues to be confirmed.
• Chelsea Under-21s will open their Premier League 2 campaign by hosting 2024/25 playoff winners Manchester City at Kingsmeadow on August 18 under new head coach Calum McFarlane.
• Manchester United Under-21s are set to begin their season with an away match at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium on August 18, kicking off at 19:00 BST.
• The competition features 29 Category One academies arranged into six seeding pots based on the past three seasons, with a draw setting 20 fixtures per team and a single-table ranking sending the top 16 to knockout playoffs.
• Clubs like Chelsea will also participate in the Premier League International Cup and the EFL Vertu Motors Trophy alongside their PL2 commitments.