Associate Members' Cup 1983 to 1985 The 48 clubs of the
Third and
Fourth Divisions were split into North and South sections of 24 teams each. The first round had 12 knockout ties in each section, and the second had six. In each section, the two second-round losers with the 'narrowest' defeats were reprieved and joined the six other clubs in the regional quarter-finals.
1985 to 1992 For
the 1985–86 edition, 8 three-team groups were introduced in each of the two sections. Teams played one home and one away game and the group winners proceeded to the regional knockout stages. This was modified in
the following season, with two teams qualifying from each group, resulting in an additional 'round of 16' knockout stage in each section.
Football League Trophy 1992 to 1996 For a number of seasons in the early to mid-1990s, the competition ran with seven 3-team groups, two teams in each section receiving a
bye into the knockout stages. This was a direct result of the folding of
Aldershot and
Maidstone United necessitating a reorganisation of the competition to accommodate fewer than 48 teams in the tournament.
1996 to 2000 The group phase was abolished for the
1996–97 edition. The regional sections were retained and 8 teams in each section received a bye to the second round.
2000 to 2006 For
the 2000–01 season, 8
teams in level 5 (step 1) of the football pyramid were invited to participate in the tournament, resulting in 12 ties in each of the north/south sections in the first round, with only four teams in each section receiving a bye into the second round. The number of invitees increased to 12 from
2002–03, resulting in 14 first-round ties, and two teams in each regional section gaining a bye into the second round.
Invited teams The teams from the Conference invited by season are as follows: •
2000–01:
Chester City,
Doncaster Rovers,
Dover Athletic,
Hereford United,
Morecambe,
Rushden & Diamonds,
Scarborough,
Yeovil Town •
2001–02:
Barnet,
Dagenham & Redbridge, Doncaster Rovers,
Leigh RMI, Scarborough,
Southport,
Stevenage Borough, Yeovil Town •
2002–03: Chester City, Dagenham & Redbridge, Doncaster Rovers,
Halifax Town, Hereford United, Leigh RMI, Morecambe, Scarborough, Southport, Stevenage Borough,
Woking, Yeovil Town •
2003–04: Barnet, Chester City, Dagenham & Redbridge,
Exeter City,
Forest Green Rovers, Halifax Town, Hereford United, Morecambe, Scarborough,
Shrewsbury Town, Stevenage Borough,
Telford United •
2004–05:
Accrington Stanley,
Aldershot Town, Barnet,
Carlisle United, Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Hereford United, Morecambe, Scarborough, Stevenage Borough, Woking,
York City •
2005–06: Accrington Stanley, Aldershot Town,
Cambridge United,
Crawley Town, Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Halifax Town, Hereford United,
Kidderminster Harriers, Morecambe, Stevenage Borough, Woking
2006 to 2016 For the
2006–07 tournament onward, the Conference team invitations were abolished. This resulted in the format reverting to 8 first-round matches in each section, and 8 sides receiving byes to the second round. Due to a number of clubs fielding weakened teams in the competition, a rule was introduced which required a minimum of six first-team regulars to be named in the starting lineup.
EFL Trophy 2016 to present 64 teams enter from Round One; all 48 teams from levels three and four of the football pyramid (
League One and
League Two), along with 16 category 1 Premier League and
EFL Championship academy/under-21 sides. 16 regional groups of four teams split evenly 8 northern and 8 southern. Each of the groups contains one academy team. The top two from each group progress to the knockout stages; up to and including the quarter-final the tournament remains regionalised before becoming an open draw from the semi-finals onwards. During the group phase, if the scores are level at the end of the match, then penalties are taken immediately without recourse to extra time. The winning team is awarded 2 points and the losing team 1 point. During the knock-out phase, up to but not including the final, if the scores are level at the end of the match the winner is decided by penalties. In the final, if the scores are equal after 90 minutes an extra 30 minutes are played and if still equal the winner is then decided by penalties.
Academy teams The following academy teams have competed: •
Current (
2023–24):
Arsenal (since 2018–19),
Aston Villa (since 2019–20),
Brighton & Hove Albion (since 2016–17),
Chelsea (since 2016–17),
Crystal Palace (since 2021–22),
Everton (from 2016–17 to 2019–20 and since 2021–22),
Fulham (from 2017–18 to 2020–21 and since 2023–24),
Leeds United (from 2020–21 to 2022–23 and since 2025–26),
Leicester City (since 2016–17),
Liverpool (since 2019–20),
Manchester City (since 2017–18),
Manchester United (since 2019–20),
Newcastle United (since 2017–18),
Nottingham Forest (since 2023–24),
Tottenham Hotspur (from 2017–18 to 2019–20 and since 2021–22),
West Ham United (since 2016–17),
Wolverhampton Wanderers (from 2016–17 and since 2018–19) •
Former:
Blackburn Rovers (from 2016–17),
Derby County (from 2016–17),
Norwich City (from 2016–17 and from 2019–20 to 2020–21),
Middlesbrough (from 2016–17 to 2018–19),
Reading (from 2016–17 to 2017–18),
Southampton (from 2016–17 to 2022–23),
Stoke City (from 2016–17 to 2018–19),
Sunderland (from 2016–17 to 2017–18),
Swansea City (from 2016–17 to 2018–19),
West Bromwich Albion (from 2016–17 to 2018–19 and from 2020–21) ==Finals==