West Ham United U21s will once again take part in both the National League Cup and the Premier League International Cup during the 2025/26 campaign.
Introduced to the football calendar for the first time last season, the National League Cup pits National League sides against Category One Academies. The competition is designed to give young players from Premier League and EFL clubs valuable opportunities to test themselves against senior opposition, with the aim of further aiding elite player development. At the same time, National League clubs benefit from playing against some of the best U21 teams in the country with the added incentive of a £1 million prize fund, provided by the Premier League and distributed exclusively among National League participants.
Our U21s gave a strong account of themselves in the inaugural edition. After twice taking the lead in a 4-2 defeat to eventual Group D winners Braintree Town, they went on to beat finalists Sutton United and Ebbsfleet United, 2-0 and 2-1 respectively. That run left qualification in their own hands going into the final group game against neighbours Dagenham & Redbridge, where a 2-0 defeat saw them narrowly miss out on the knockout stages by just a single point.
Commenting on West Ham United's first participation in the competition, Academy Manager Kenny Brown said: "It's been a really good competition for us. Without the backing of the Premier League, this wouldn't happen. It's a fantastic addition to the Games Programme and gives brilliant experiences to players and staff. We are playing at a proper ground in front of supporters. Our players are playing against men, and they are playing against different systems and styles of play.
"We've been really welcomed at the different clubs, with brilliant hospitality. It's also an education off the pitch for our players. It's a good reality check for them to see what they do at these clubs and see how they act, they're just as professional as us."
Another exciting challenge for our development side to look forward to in the new season is the Premier League International Cup. Launched in 2014/15 to provide Premier League Academies with international experience, the competition brings together the top 16 finishers in Premier League 2 alongside 16 invited European clubs.
Mark Robson’s young Hammers qualified for the tournament for the seventh time after finishing fourth in the 2024/25 Premier League 2 table. Last season, the U21s built on their best-ever run - reaching the semi-finals in 2023 before being knocked out by defending champions PSV Eindhoven - with a 3-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach II and draws against SL Benfica B (2-2) and Athletic Club B (2-2). However, a 2-0 defeat to eventual runners-up Olympique Lyonnais B saw them fall just short of progressing to the knockout stages.
All National League Cup group matches will be played at National League venues, while our Premier League International Cup fixtures will take place at home. Fixture and ticketing information for both competitions will be communicated in due course.
