The 2026–27 National League Cup, is the 28th season in the history of the competition, and the third since its revival in 2024–25. It is a knock-out tournament between clubs in the National League, the fifth tier of the English football league system, 16 professional under-21 teams playing in Premier League 2 and 2 National League South clubs.
A prize fund of £1 million is to be shared only with participating National League clubs, and with sixth tier clubs. Premier League 2 clubs do not receive any prize money or participation fee.
Participating clubs 14 invited clubs from the National League. 2 invited clubs from National League South. 16 invited Premier League 2 under-21 teams.
National LeagueNational League SouthPremier League 2ClubsAldershot Town Boreham Wood Boston United FC Halifax Town Gateshead Hartlepool United Hornchurch Scunthorpe United Solihull Moors Sutton United Tamworth Wealdstone Woking WorthingBraintree Town Truro CityBirmingham City Derby County Everton Fulham Ipswich Town Leeds United Leicester City Middlesbrough Newcastle United Norwich City Nottingham Forest Southampton Stoke City West Bromwich Albion West Ham United Wolverhampton WanderersTotal14216
Competition format League phase Four groups of eight teams. All groups will include four fifth or sixth tier sides and four academy sides. All National League clubs will play each academy side once, and all academy sides will play each National League side once (academy sides will play all group matches away from home). Clubs will be awarded three points for a win and one point for a draw. Drawn matches will end in a penalty shoot-out with an extra point for the winners. The top two teams in each group will progress to the knockout stage. Knockout stage In Round 2, the group winners will be seeded and the group runners-up will be unseeded in the draw. In Round 2, teams who played in the same group as each other in the group stage will be kept apart.
Broadcasting The National League announced all fixtures would be streamed live and free on the National League YouTube channel.
Group stage The group stage draw was made on 6 August 2026.
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Notes
References