2025–26 Professional U21 Development League

Premier League 2
Season2025–26
Dates15 August 2025 – 13 April 2026
Matches played14
Goals scored52 (3.71 per match)
Top goalscorerShane Nti, Brighton & Hove Albion U21s
Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi Sunderland U21s (3 Goals Each)
Biggest home winBrighton & Hove Albion U21s 4–0 West Bromwich Albion U21s (August 17)
Biggest away winAston Villa U21s 0–3 Leeds United U21s (August 15)
Highest scoringSunderland U21s 3–5 Tottenham Hotspur U21s (August 18)
2026–27 →
All statistics correct as of 18 August 2025.

The 2025–26 Premier League 2 will be the 14th season of the Professional Development League system. It will continue to use the same format as the previous 2 seasons with a change from places 17 to 24.[1] The sides finishing in the top eight positions of the Professional U21 Development League 2 at the end of the season will progress to a playoff stage against teams 17-24. 29 Category One Academies are competing this season, the most in league history. Three teams joined with Category One status with Birmingham City U21s[2], Burnley U21s[3] returning after a three season abscence and Ipswich Town U21s[4] playing in the Premier League 2 for the very first time.

Premier League 2

Table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Brighton & Hove Albion U21s 1 1 0 0 4 0 +4 3 Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs
and Premier League International Cup
2 Leeds United U21s 1 1 0 0 3 0 +3 3
3 Tottenham Hotspur U21s 1 1 0 0 5 3 +2 3
4 Leicester City U21s 1 1 0 0 4 2 +2 3
5 Chelsea U21s 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2 3
6 Ipswich Town U21s 1 1 0 0 4 3 +1 3
7 Fulham U21s 1 1 0 0 3 2 +1 3
8 Southampton U21s 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 3
9 Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 3
10 Everton U21s 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 3
11 Manchester United U21s 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 3
12 Nottingham Forest U21s 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 3
13 Birmingham City U21s 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 1 Qualification to the Elimination Playoffs
14 Stoke City U21s 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 1
15 Norwich City U21s 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
16 Reading U21s 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
17 Crystal Palace U21s 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification to the PDL Playoffs
18 Derby County U21s 1 0 0 1 3 4 −1 0
19 Arsenal U21s 1 0 0 1 2 3 −1 0
20 Burnley U21s 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1 0
21 Newcastle United U21s 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1 0
22 Blackburn Rovers U21s 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 0
23 Middlesbrough U21s 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 0
24 West Ham United U21s 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 0
25 Sunderland U21s 1 0 0 1 3 5 −2 0
26 Liverpool U21s 1 0 0 1 2 4 −2 0
27 Manchester City U21s 1 0 0 1 1 3 −2 0
28 Aston Villa U21s 1 0 0 1 0 3 −3 0
29 West Bromwich Albion U21s 1 0 0 1 0 4 −4 0
Updated to match(es) played on 18 August 2025. Source: Premier League 2 Table

Matches

Home \ Away ARS AVL BIR BLB BHA BUR CHE CRY DER EVE FUL IPS LEE LEI LIV MNC MNU MID NEW NOR NFO REA SOU STK SUN TOT WBA WHU WOL
Arsenal U21s — — — — 29 Aug 23 Jan — — — 6 Feb 2–3 27 Feb — 13 Mar — — — — 13 Feb — — — — — — — 9 Jan 4 Oct 20 Sep
Aston Villa U21s — — — — — — 29 Aug 31 Oct — — — 23 Jan 0–3 — — 6 Mar — 10 Apr 6 Feb 13 Mar — — — — 4 Oct — — — 8 Nov
Birmingham City U21s — 30 Jan — — — — 13 Feb — — 16 Jan 26 Sep 10 Apr — — — 20 Mar 6 Mar — 29 Aug — 24 Oct — — 2–2 — — — — —
Blackburn Rovers U21s — 2 Mar 26 Jan — 22 Aug — — 6 Mar 10 Nov — — — — — — 27 Oct — 22 Sep — — 12 Jan — — — — 16 Feb — 23 Mar —
Brighton & Hove Albion U21s — 9 Jan 22 Feb — — — — — 19 Sep 22 Mar 6 Mar — — — 1 Feb 8 Nov — 4 Oct — — — — — — 6 Feb — 4–0 — —
Burnley U21s — — 31 Oct 12 Apr 16 Mar — 5 Oct — 20 Feb — — — 29 Aug — — — — — — — — 30 Jan — — 26 Sep 16 Jan — — 18 Aug
Chelsea U21s 25 Oct — — 7 Feb — — — 10 Jan — — — 20 Sep 21 Feb — — 18 Aug — — — — — 8 Nov 31 Jan 27 Sep 14 Mar — — — —
Crystal Palace U21s 13 Apr — — 6 Oct — — — — 26 Jan — 16 Feb — 22 Sep — — — — 9 Feb 27 Oct — — — — 7 Nov 2 Mar — — — 16 Mar
Derby County U21s 26 Sep 16 Jan 22 Aug — — — — — — — — — — 29 Aug — 13 Feb — 20 Mar — 31 Oct 30 Jan — — — 9 Jan — — 6 Mar —
Everton U21s — 19 Sep — 18 Aug — 13 Feb 31 Oct — — — 22 Aug 16 Mar — 9 Jan — 23 Jan 5 Oct — — — — — — — 20 Feb — — — —
Fulham U21s — — — — — 27 Feb 10 Apr — 24 Oct — — — — — 3 Oct — 16 Jan 23 Jan — — 13 Mar — — — — 8 Nov 19 Sep 6 Feb —
Ipswich Town U21s — — — — 24 Oct 23 Mar — 30 Jan 4–3 — 9 Jan — — — 29 Sep — — — 31 Oct — — — 29 Aug 13 Feb — — 6 Mar — —
Leeds United U21s 1 Feb — — — 3 Nov — — — — — — 24 Aug — 13 Apr — — 13 Feb — — 29 Sep 8 Nov — — 17 Jan — 16 Mar — 28 Feb —
Leicester City U21s — 20 Mar 7 Nov 29 Sep — — 26 Jan — — — — — — — 18 Aug — 23 Feb — 9 Mar 9 Feb — — 27 Oct — — 19 Sep — — —
Liverpool U21s 18 Jan — — — — 24 Aug — 22 Mar — 26 Oct — — 25 Jan — — — 21 Sep 1 Nov — — — — — — — 1 Mar 15 Feb — 8 Mar
Manchester City U21s — — — — — 10 Jan — — — — — — 7 Feb 31 Oct 13 Mar — — — — 10 Apr 27 Feb 4 Oct 26 Sep — — — — 22 Aug 20 Feb
Manchester United U21s — — — 31 Oct 23 Jan — 27 Feb 26 Sep 6 Feb — — — — — — 31 Aug — — 10 Apr 22 Aug — — 13 Mar — — 24 Oct — — —
Middlesbrough U21s — — 2 Mar — — — — — — 26 Sep — 18 Jan — — — — 18 Aug — — 7 Nov — 29 Aug — 16 Mar — 16 Feb — 2 Feb 24 Oct
Newcastle United U21s — — — 13 Mar 27 Feb 8 Nov 22 Aug — — — 20 Feb — — — — — — 9 Jan — 22 Sep — — 1–2 — — 5 Oct — — 30 Jan
Norwich City U21s 6 Mar — — — — 24 Oct — — — 29 Aug 30 Jan — — — 9 Jan — — — — — — 1–1 13 Feb 27 Feb — — 20 Mar — 16 Jan
Nottingham Forest U21s 22 Aug 26 Sep — — — — — 17 Jan — — — 4 Oct — — 20 Feb — — — 20 Mar — — 25 Jan 6 Mar — 1 Nov — 6 Feb — —
Reading U21s 23 Feb — — 19 Jan — — — — 13 Apr 9 Mar 1 Nov — 10 Jan 22 Aug — — 20 Mar — 26 Sep — — — — 7 Feb — — — — —
Southampton U21s 7 Nov — — — 16 Jan 19 Sep — — 3 Oct 27 Feb — — 20 Mar — 8 Feb — — 20 Feb — — — — — — 22 Aug — 26 Jan — —
Stoke City U21s — 20 Feb — 3 Oct — 9 Mar — — — — 23 Mar — — — 31 Aug 1 Feb — — — — 22 Sep — 9 Jan — — 23 Jan 31 Oct — —
Sunderland U21s 23 Mar — — — — — — — — — — 7 Nov 9 Mar 2 Feb — 20 Sep — — 16 Jan — — 16 Feb — 25 Oct — 18 Aug — 29 Aug —
Tottenham Hotspur U21s — — 6 Feb — — — — 22 Aug — 30 Jan — — — — — — — 6 Mar — 20 Feb 30 Aug — 31 Oct — — — 26 Sep 9 Jan 10 Apr
West Bromwich Albion U21s — 25 Aug 13 Mar 23 Feb — — — 29 Aug 2 Mar 7 Nov — — 3 Oct 19 Jan — — 2 Feb — — — — 27 Oct — — — — — — —
West Ham United U21s — 24 Oct 19 Sep — 26 Sep — 16 Jan 23 Feb — — — — — 16 Feb 7 Nov — — — — 23 Jan 18 Aug 13 Mar — — — — — — —
Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s — — — 29 Aug 16 Feb — 20 Mar — — — — 6 Feb — 3 Oct — — 12 Jan — — — — 2 Mar — 22 Aug 26 Jan — — 3 Nov —
Updated to match(es) played on 17 August 2025. Source: Premier League 2 Results
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Professional Development League

Professional Development League 2
Season2025–26
Dates8 August 2025 – 21 April 2026
Matches played12
Goals scored47 (3.92 per match)
Top goalscorerJonny Day, AFC Bournemouth U21s (3 goals)
Biggest home winCharlton Athletic U21s 5–0 Sheffield Wednesday U21s
(12 August 2025)
Biggest away winMillwall U21s 0–4 Barnsley U21s
(12 August 2025)
Highest scoringQueens Park Rangers U21s 3–4 Coventry City U21s
(12 August 2025)
2026–27 →
All statistics correct as of 18 August 2025.

The Professional Development League sometime known as the Professional Development League 2 is Under-21 football's second tier, designed for those academies with Category 2 status. The league, previously split regionally into north and south divisions, is now a single table with teams playing a geographically-aligned fixture schedule. The sides finishing in the top eight positions in both regions at the end of the season will progress to a playoff stage against Premier League 2 opposition. Brentford U21s are the defending champions.

20 teams competed in the league this season, two fewer than the previous season. Three teams joined with Category One status with Birmingham City U21s[5], Burnley U21s[6] returning after a three season abscence and six total seasons and founding member Ipswich Town U21s[7] playing in the Premier League 2 for the very first time after 13 seasons. However, Huddersfield Town U21s[8] returned after being granted Category Two academy status after 7 years.

Table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Cardiff City U21s 2 1 1 0 4 1 +3 4 Qualification for #PL2/PDL Playoffs
2 Charlton Athletic U21s 1 1 0 0 5 0 +5 3
3 Barnsley U21s 1 1 0 0 4 0 +4 3
4 Colchester United U21s 1 1 0 0 4 1 +3 3
5 AFC Bournemouth U21s 1 1 0 0 3 0 +3 3
6 Coventry City U21s 1 1 0 0 4 3 +1 3
7 Swansea City U21s 1 1 0 0 3 2 +1 3
8 Peterborough United U21s 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 3
9 Watford U21s 2 0 2 0 4 4 0 2
10 Brentford U21s 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
11 Fleetwood Town U21s 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
12 Hull City U21s 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
13 Sheffield United U21s 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
14 Sheffield Wednesday U21s 2 0 1 1 3 8 −5 1
15 Queens Park Rangers U21s 1 0 0 1 3 4 −1 0
16 Bristol City U21s 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1 0
17 Wigan Athletic U21s 1 0 0 1 1 4 −3 0
18 Huddersfield Town U21s 1 0 0 1 0 3 −3 0
19 Crewe Alexandra U21s 2 0 0 2 2 6 −4 0
20 Millwall U21s 1 0 0 1 0 4 −4 0
Updated to match(es) played on 18 August 2025. Source: Professional Development League table

Matches

Home \ Away BOU BAR BRE BRI CAR CHA COL COV CRE FLE HUD HUL MIL PET QPR SHU SHW SWA WIG WAT
AFC Bournemouth U21s — 16 Mar 9 Mar 26 Jan 2 Feb 12 Jan 6 Oct — 30 Mar — 3–0 — 23 Feb 25 Aug 20 Oct — 5 Sep 3 Nov — 29 Sep
Barnsley U21s — — 19 Aug — 24 Mar — 10 Apr 27 Feb 28 Oct 10 Feb 4 Nov 24 Feb — 7 Oct 2 Sep 27 Jan 23 Sep — 18 Nov 16 Sep
Brentford U21s 16 Nov — — 1 Feb 14 Oct 15 Feb 28 Feb 15 Mar — 31 Mar — 1–1 19 Oct — 21 Sep 24 Aug — 19 Jan 8 Sep 8 Nov
Bristol City U21s 14 Oct 9 Sep 28 Oct — 20 Jan 29 Sep 10 Feb — 17 Mar — 31 Mar — 4 Nov 1–2 24 Feb — 26 Aug 13 Jan — 10 Mar
Cardiff City U21s 28 Oct — 27 Jan 3 Oct — 10 Mar 24 Feb 9 Dec — 17 Mar — 31 Mar 30 Sep — 4 Nov 1–1 — 10 Feb 26 Aug 13 Jan
Charlton Athletic U21s 23 Sep 26 Aug 4 Nov 3 Mar 18 Nov — 27 Jan — 9 Sep — 17 Mar — 3 Feb 31 Mar 7 Oct — 5–0 23 Feb — 21 Oct
Colchester United U21s 16 Jan — 26 Sep 21 Oct 11 Nov 10 Oct — 26 Aug — 9 Sep — 17 Mar 9 Jan — 30 Jan 31 Mar — 6 Mar 4–1 13 Feb
Coventry City U21s 15 Sep 29 Sep — 19 Aug — 23 Mar — — 13 Jan 10 Mar 27 Jan 7 Oct 14 Apr 5 Nov — 24 Feb 3 Feb 29 Aug 21 Oct —
Crewe Alexandra U21s — 2 Feb 15 Sep — 0–3 — 23 Mar 22 Sep — 3 Nov 17 Nov 26 Jan — 23 Feb 13 Apr 6 Oct 20 Oct — 2 Mar 1 Sep
Fleetwood Town U21s 2 Dec 21 Oct — 16 Sep — 19 Aug — 18 Nov 17 Feb — 3 Mar 23 Sep 24 Mar 27 Jan — 3 Feb 7 Oct 14 Apr 25 Nov —
Huddersfield Town U21s — 17 Feb 2 Sep — 16 Sep — 19 Aug 14 Oct 10 Mar 30 Sep — 10 Feb — 28 Oct 24 Mar 13 Jan 11 Nov — 20 Jan 14 Apr
Hull City U21s 14 Apr 11 Nov — 2 Sep — 16 Sep — 20 Jan 14 Oct 13 Jan 21 Oct — 19 Aug 30 Sep — 10 Mar 17 Feb 24 Mar 3 Feb —
Millwall U21s 11 Nov 0–4 10 Feb 17 Feb 3 Mar 28 Oct 23 Sep — 26 Aug — 9 Sep — — 17 Mar 18 Nov — 31 Mar 9 Oct — 20 Jan
Peterborough United U21s — 20 Jan 14 Apr — 2 Sep — 16 Sep 18 Feb 12 Nov 14 Oct 3 Feb 3 Mar — — 20 Aug 21 Oct 18 Nov — 24 Sep 24 Mar
Queens Park Rangers U21s 10 Feb — 13 Jan 11 Nov 17 Feb 20 Jan 28 Oct 3–4 — 26 Aug — 9 Sep 10 Mar — — 17 Mar — 30 Sep 27 Mar 10 Oct
Sheffield United U21s 23 Mar 14 Oct — 14 Apr — 29 Aug — 10 Nov 20 Jan 28 Oct 22 Sep 18 Nov 16 Sep 10 Feb — — 3 Mar 21 Apr 17 Feb —
Sheffield Wednesday U21s — 9 Jan 20 Mar — 10 Apr — 1 Sep 27 Oct 6 Feb 16 Jan 20 Feb 31 Oct — 6 Mar 15 Sep 29 Sep — — 10 Oct 3–3
Swansea City U21s 17 Feb 30 Mar 6 Oct 20 Sep 21 Oct 7 Nov 20 Nov — 3–2 — 24 Aug — 27 Jan 7 Apr 2 Mar — 16 Mar — — 3 Feb
Wigan Athletic U21s 19 Aug 10 Mar — 24 Mar — 14 Apr — 10 Feb 30 Sep 24 Feb 7 Oct 28 Oct 2 Sep 13 Jan — 4 Nov 27 Jan 16 Sep — —
Watford U21s 3 Mar — 24 Feb 17 Nov 19 Sep 9 Feb 4 Nov 27 Mar — 1–1 — 22 Aug 6 Oct — 27 Jan 5 Sep — 27 Oct 13 Mar —
Updated to match(es) played on 18 August 2025. Source: Professional Development League Results
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Knock-out stage

Semi-finals

v
v

Professional Development League National Final

v

References

  1. ^ "Premier League 2: Competition format explained". Premier League. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Birmingham City Academy Awarded Category One Status". Birmingham City FC. 6 May 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  3. ^ "ACADEMY ACHIEVES ELITE CATEGORY ONE STATUS". Burnley FC. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  4. ^ "ACADEMY AWARDED CATEGORY ONE STATUS". Ipswich Town FC. 11 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  5. ^ "Birmingham City Academy Awarded Category One Status". Birmingham City FC. 6 May 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  6. ^ "ACADEMY ACHIEVES ELITE CATEGORY ONE STATUS". Burnley FC. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  7. ^ "ACADEMY AWARDED CATEGORY ONE STATUS". Ipswich Town FC. 11 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  8. ^ "ACADEMY UPGRADED TO CATEGORY TWO STATUS". Huddersfield Town AFC. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
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