The Club was honoured to receive the invitation from the National League and after taking careful consideration and all factors into account, decided to enter the competition for the inaugural time.
Facing Premier League academy sides at the Sussex Transport Community Stadium and having another piece of silverware to compete for is recognised as another positive step in our evolution on and off the pitch.
The competition will aid our awareness of players at the level which may be available for loan, while also assisting the Club in building lasting relationships with clubs we may not have had the privilege to interact with otherwise. Furthermore, it’s seen as another avenue for our highly-thought of youth prospects to be awarded opportunities in a first-team environment.
Sporting Director, Nathan Bowen, commented: “The opportunity to test ourselves against top, Premier-League standard young talents is a prospect we collectively look forward to.”
“We relish the chance to showcase our philosophy and style of play, while also handing deserved opportunities to some of the exciting talent we have in our academy system. Allowing them to make their official first-team debuts will only help their development and allow them to feel even more closely connected to our senior side.”
This is the third year of the competition, with Boreham Wood claiming the trophy a few months ago by defeating West Ham United U21s in the final.
Format
The competition features 32 clubs, comprising of 16 Premier League 2 (PL2) clu , 14 National League teams and two National League South outfits. Commencing next month, the final is scheduled for March following a group stage and knockout phase consisting of a quarter-final and semi-final.
All group stage fixtures are hosted at National League first-team stadiums, meaning four matches are guaranteed to be played at the Sussex Transport Community Stadium. Should the Rebels advance through the group format, the rule changes, with the venues then determined based on progression in the knockout stages.
There are four groups of eight clubs, with four PL2 teams and four National League clubs in each. If an encounter is level after 90 minutes, a penalty shootout will take place, with the winner awarded an additional point. The top two teams from each group will progress through into the last eight.
All knockout matches are single leg fixtures with ties that end in draws going directly to a penalty shoot-out to determine the victor. The semi-final and final will be contested at the hosts Club’s Main Stadium.
Match Round Dates
– NLC Match Round 1: Tuesday 18 / Wednesday 19 August 2026
– NLC Match Round 2: Tuesday 8 / Wednesday 9 September 2026
– NLC Match Round 3: Tuesday 13 / Wednesday 14 October 2026
– NLC Match Round 4: Tuesday 3 / Wednesday 4 November 2026
– NLC Quarter Final: Tuesday 19 / Wednesday 20 January 2027
– NLC Semi – Final: Tuesday 9 / Wednesday 10 February 2027
– NLC Final: Tuesday 16 / Wednesday 17 March 2027
Please note that all dates are subject to change. Any updates will be communicated in due course.
Originally published by Worthing FC ↗