The 2026–27 Premier League 2 is the 15th season of the Professional Development League system. It continues to use the same format as the previous 3 seasons. 31 teams will compete in this season, the most in league history. Bournemouth U21s, and Brentford U21s joined after being promoted to Category One status after 3, and 2 seasons as Category Two Academies respectively. The Chelsea Under-21 team are now known as Cobham Next Gen.
Premier League 2
Table
Matches
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Carrick NjinkoLeeds United U21s62 Reggie WatsonCobham Next Gen U21s5 Will WrightLiverpool U21s4 Princewill EhibhatiomhanSouthampton U21s4 Kaye FuroBrentford U21s Cruz IbehMiddlesbrough U21s Josh LandersWest Ham United U21s Jayden QuashieFulham U21s Trey Samuel-OgunsuyiSunderland U21s10 Jack BrayWest Bromwich Albion U21s3 Dan CaseyFulham U21s Jonny DayBournemouth U21s Tyrese HallTottenham Hotspur U21s Isaac HollandBrentford U21s Reiss Elliott-ParrisTottenham Hotspur U21s Menzi MazwiBirmingham City U21s Torin NtegeReading U21s Brandon PouaniBurnley U21s Macaulay ZepaFulham U21s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Carrick Njinko Leeds United U21s West Bromwich Albion U21s 4–3 (H) Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi Sunderland U21s Nottingham Forest U21s 5–1 (H) Josh Landers4 West Ham United U21s Cobham Next Gen U21s 5–4 (A) Kaye Furo Brentford U21s Sunderland U21s 4–1 (H) Cruz Ibeh Middlesbrough U21s Leeds United U21s 4–4 (H) (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals
Awards Player of the Month MonthPlayerClubRef.August Kaye FuroBrentford U21sSeptember Reggie WatsonCobham Next Gen U21s
Professional Development League
The Professional Development League, sometimes known as the Professional Development League 2, is Under-21 football's second tier, designed for those academies with Category 2 status.
17 teams compete in the league this season, three fewer than the previous season and tied for the lowest amount of teams in the league's history. Two teams joined the Premier League 2 with Category One status with Bournemouth U21s, and Brentford U21s joined after being promoted to Category One status after 3, and 2 seasons as Category Two Academies respectively, with Brentford playing 6 seasons in the league total. While 2 Academies downgraded themselves to Category Three, with founding member Crewe Alexandra U21s after 14 seasons, alongside Watford U21s after 11 seasons. However, Bolton Wanderers U21s returned after being granted Category Two academy status after 6 years.
Table
Matches
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Cole SimmsWigan Athletic U21s102 Adrian AkandeColchester United U21s73 Daeshon LawrenceBolton Wanderers U21s64 Max LottBolton Wanderers U21s4 Toby RitchieBolton Wanderers U21s George ShepherdCoventry City U21s Emmerson SuttonQueens Park Rangers U21s8 Jake DaviesCardiff City U21s3 Joe DaviesSwansea City U21s Chris EadieSheffield United U21s Rayan Kolli Queens Park Rangers U21s Rhys KnightBristol City U21s Ellis McMillanCharlton Athletic U21s Troy PerrettCardiff City U21s O'Rian ReidBarnsley U21s Kurtis SimmonsPeterborough United U21s Patryk SykutPeterborough United U21s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Emmerson Sutton Queens Park Rangers U21s Fleetwood Town U21s 4–1 (H) Kurtis Simmons Peterborough United U21s Bristol City U21s 3–3 (H) Cole Simms Wigan Athletic U21s Colchester United U21s 6–4 (H) Adrian Akande Colchester United U21s Wigan Athletic U21s 6–4 (A) George Shepherd Coventry City U21s Queens Park Rangers U21s 1–5 (A)
References