English Premier League launches Under-21 Premier League Cup

The Premier League is launching a new cup tournament, the Under-21 Premier League Cup, this season, with the draw for the first qualifying rounds due to be made on Monday 9 September.Following the success of the inaugural Barclays Under-21 Premier League last season, the 2013/14 campaign will be augmented with the introduction of a national cup competition for academies of all categories.

Under-21 Premier League Cup

Fifty-one academies have entered the U21 Premier League Cup with the draw for Qualifying Round 1 and Qualifying Round 2 due to take place at 11am on Monday 9 September at the offices of the Premier League in Central London.

The one-off fixtures in the competition will be played on a regional basis until the Round of 16, whereupon the draw becomes national. The final will be played over two legs home and away at the main stadia of both teams.

"The introduction of an under-21 cup competition is one way to create an opportunity for players up and down the country to play in a meaningful competition, to enhance the Barclays Under-21 Premier League," Ged Roddy, the Premier League's Director of Youth, told premierleague.com. Premierleague.com