The 2026–27 Premier League Cup is the thirteenth edition of the competition. A new format for 2026/27 was made for the competition, with 40 teams divided into 10 groups of four. Each side plays the other three teams home and away, with the 10 group winners and six best runners-up advancing to the Round of 16. This is 8 clubs more than last time after contracting back to 32 last season. 4 academies that participated last season did not return this year. Last year's runners up and inaugural participant Sunderland did not return after 12 consecutive seasons in the competition, Colchester United after 10 consecutive seasons, Watford did not return after 2 consecutive seasons, and finally Leyton Orient did not return after playing last year. In terms of teams returning to the competition, 10 teams came back. Bolton Wanderers and Gillingham return for the first time since the competition was a knockout only in 2015–16, West Ham United returns after a 5 season absence, Plymouth Argyle is returning for the after a 4 year absence since 2022–23, Newcastle United and Peterborough United returned after a 2 year absence, and Brighton & Hove Albion, Fleetwood Town, Huddersfield Town, Leeds United, and Southampton returned after missing last year's competition. Wycombe Wanderers is participating in the competition for the very first time.
Participants
Category 1 AFC Bournemouth Blackburn Rovers Birmingham City Brighton & Hove Albion Brentford Burnley Derby County Ipswich Town Leeds United Leicester City Newcastle United Norwich City Nottingham Forest Reading Southampton Stoke City West Bromwich Albion West Ham United Wolverhampton Wanderers
Category 2
Bolton Wanderers Bristol City Cardiff City Charlton Athletic Coventry City Fleetwood Town Huddersfield Town Hull City Millwall Peterborough United Queens Park Rangers Sheffield United Swansea City
Category 3 Exeter City Gillingham Luton Town Plymouth Argyle Preston North End Stockport County
Category 4 Bromley Wycombe Wanderers
Group stage Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Group E
Group F
Group G
Group H
Group I
Group J
Ranking of Group Runners-Up
Knockout stages Round of 16 The Round of 16 included all 8 group winners and runners up.
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Final
References