West Ham United U21s have been drawn into Southern Group D for the 2025/26 Vertu Trophy.
With the opening fixture set for early September, the young Hammers will face Milton Keynes Dons, Reading and Swindon Town in a competition that pairs clubs from EFL Leagues One and Two with 16 invited Premier League Academy sides.
Since first entering the competition in 2016/17, West Ham have previously faced each of their 2025/26 group opponents once. In August 2017, they opened their campaign with a 3-2 away win at Swindon Town, with goals from Martin Samuelsen, Moses Makasi and Dan Kemp, a result that helped them reach the knockout stages. In October 2022, a youthful side mainly comprising U18s players, featuring future FA Youth Cup winners Ollie Scarles, Callum Marshall, George Earthy, Kaelan Casey, Lewis Orford, Divin Mubama and Regan Clayton, were beaten 2-0 at MK Dons. Most recently, in the opening game of the 2024/25 edition, they fell to a 3-1 defeat against League One play-off contenders Reading.
As per competition rules, West Ham will play all three group-stage matches away from home. The top two teams in each of the 16 groups advance to the knockout stages, with ties remaining regionalised until the quarter-finals. Matches level after 90 minutes will be decided by a penalty shoot-out up to the semi-final stage.
For U21s lead coach Mark Robson, the EFL Trophy is one of the most exciting parts of the calendar. He said: “Playing in this competition is brilliant for the young lads. I really enjoy it because it reveals more about the players, who steps up, who excels in unexpected moments. These games really test them. You’re up against seasoned professionals, and that’s where our young lads can prove themselves.
“We’ve come out of these games with flying colours in previous seasons, especially during our great run in 2023/24. Physically, technically and tactically, these matches push the team to another level. It’s a great challenge, and we’ll always look to showcase what we’re about.”
Dates, kick-off times and ticket information for our three Group D ties will be confirmed on our channels in due course.