The 2026–27 Professional U18 Development League is the 15th season of the Professional Development League system.
There are 31 teams competing, divided into North and South divisions according to their region.
North
Matches
South
Matches
National Final
Season statistics
Top goalscorers Rank Player Club Goals1 Dexter OliverManchester City U18s12 Oliver BoastTottenham Hotspur U18s3 Warren TaylorBurnley U18s74 Alfie HutchinsonNewcastle United U18s6 Andrew PennieChelsea U18s Logan WhiteLeeds United U18s Basima BalagiziNottingham Forest U18s Kahlil SteeleNorwich City U18s9 Armend MuslikaTottenham Hotspur U18s5 Bailey PammenterWest Ham United U18s Chris AthertonIpswich Town U18s Dane NdimukumBournemouth U18s Louie BradburyStoke City U18s Timeo WhiskerManchester City U18s Wyatt ComleySouthampton U18s Finn InglethorpeLiverpool U18s
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Khai Vally Fulham U18s Ipswich Town U18s 2–5 (A) Kahlil Steele Norwich City U18s Chelsea U18s 2–3 (A) Dane Ndimukum4 Bournemouth U18s Brighton & Hove Albion U18s 7–4 (H) Chris Atherton Ipswich Town U18s Arsenal U18s 1–3 (A) Warren Taylor Burnley U18s Derby County U18s 1–4 (A) Andrew Pennie Chelsea U18s Reading U18s 6–1 (H) Luke Hawe Southampton U18s Norwich City U18s 7–4 (H) Jai Nwosu Brentford U18s West Ham United U18s 5–4 (A) Dexter Oliver4 Manchester City U18s Leeds United U18s 5–1 (H) Louie Bradbury Stoke City U18s Leeds United U18s 5–8 (H) Timeo Whisker Manchester City U18s Stoke City U18s 5–8 (A) Dexter Oliver Manchester City U18s Stoke City U18s 5–8 (A) Alfie Hutchison Newcastle United U18s Leicester City U18s 1–4 (A) Jashayde Mensah-Greenwood Chelsea U18s Brighton & Hove Albion U18s 1–5 (A) Dexter Oliver4 Manchester City U18s Everton U18s 0–6 (A) Oliver Boast 4 Tottenham Hotspur U18s West Bromwich Albion U18s 7–1 (H) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals
Professional Development League
The Professional Development League, sometimes known as the Professional Development League 2, is Under-18 football's second tier, designed for those academies with Category 2 status. The league once split regionally into north and south divisions, with each team facing opponents in their own region twice, both home and away, and opponents in the other region once, resulting in 28 games played. Now the league goes into a single table.
Charlton Athletic U18s are the defending champions. 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 AFC Bournemouth U18s, and Brentford U18s 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 U18s after 14 seasons, alongside Watford U18s after 11 seasons. However, Bolton Wanderers U18s returned after being granted Category Two academy status after 6 years.
Tables North Division
South Division
Matches
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Charlie BulmerSheffield United U18s72 Charlie HughesWigan Athletic U18s53 Sonny CoyneBolton Wanderers U18s4 Leo Papirnyk Cardiff City U18s Raynon Richman Charlton Athletic U18s6 Regan AndersonMillwall U18s3 Bobby LewisSwansea City U18s Noah KalemaColchester United U18s James McAvoyQueens Park Rangers U18s10 George AkinniranyeHull City U18s2 Solomon BakerSwansea City U18s Alfie BaxterBolton Wanderers U18s Kaven BloniarczykSwansea City U18s Alfie BrayHull City U18s Beau CheesewrightSheffield United U18s Gruffydd Evans Cardiff City U18s Quines FakhySwansea City U18s Devonte Ferguson Bristol City U18s Fortune Fontoh Huddersfield Town U18s Desmond Kumih-BarimahBristol City U18s Covarne LeonSheffield United U18s James McAvoyQueens Park Rangers U18s Kalaab MeronSwansea City U18s Emmett MorrisonSheffield United U18s Kayode Peterkin Charlton Athletic U18s Noah SaundersBarnsley U18s Jack Sykes Cardiff City U18s Will WhiteheadQueens Park Rangers U18s Illian Wood Bristol City U18s
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Charlie Bulmer4 Sheffield United U18s Queens Park Rangers U18s 3–7 (A) Charlie Hughes Wigan Athletic U18s Coventry City U18s 2–3 (A) Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away 4 – player scored 4 goals
EFL Youth Alliance
League 2 is run by the Football League under the auspices of the Football League Youth Alliance. This is for academies that are Category Three and Four in the EPPP. The competition consists of the Under-18 sides from the Category Three and Category Four Academy Clubs of the EFL and Premier League, along with selected National League Clubs. 43 Academies competed this season, 1 more than the previous season. For clubs that get relegated to the National League, they have two years to gain promotion back to the EFL. Otherwise, they lose their license with the League. Forest Green Rovers and Sutton United did not return after their parent club lost their EPPP license and would not participate this season. Bolton Wanderers U18s left after being granted Category Two academy status after 6 seasons. York City U18s and Rochdale U18s joined after their first team was promoted, as well as Crewe Alexandra U18s and Watford U18s when both clubs downgraded their academies to Category Three. The format returned to the Division format for the northern league, while the southern league would play one big table and the winners of the divisions would play in a 4 team playoff to determine the national champion.
League stage North West Division
North East Division
South Division
References