For English sides, qualification was achieved via performance in the
2014–15 Barclays Under 21 Premier League, with the top eight sides securing a place in the competition.
Manchester United U21s (champions) and
Southampton U21s (8th place) did not take up the opportunity to enter the competition and were replaced by
Tottenham Hotspur U21s and
Everton U21s, who finished 9th and 10th respectively. The participation of European sides was achieved through invitation and was influenced by the quality of each club's academy. All eight teams from the previous season returned to the competition. ==Group stage==