Professional Development League

For the American league, see Premier Development League.

For the new American minor league baseball system, see Professional Development Leagues.

The Professional Development League is a system of youth football leagues that are managed, organised and controlled by the Premier League or by the Football League. It was introduced by the Football Association via the Elite Player Performance Plan in 2012.[1]

The system was introduced in early 2012 and was active for the first time during the 2012–13 season. It is a successor to the Premier Reserve League, Premier Academy League and Football Combination. The Football League Youth Alliance makes up League 2 of the under-18 system. The system covers the under-18 and under-21 groups.

Previously, clubs participating in the Premier Reserve League (the highest level of reserve football in England) were removed from the competition if their first team in the Premier League were relegated and replaced with a promoted team. Under the Professional Development League system, Premier League reserves teams' league status is not directly linked to the first team's Premier League status. Instead, there are three different Professional Development Leagues at each age-group level and clubs in the top four tiers of the English football league system are placed in the system based on the assessment of their academy for the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP).

## Under-21 level

[edit]

### Premier League 2

[edit]

Football league

Premier League 2

League cup(s)| Premier League Cup
EFL Trophy
International cup(s)| Premier League International Cup
Current champions| Tottenham Hotspur (1st title)
Most championships| Manchester United
Manchester City
(both 3 titles)
Website| Official website
Current: 2024–25 Premier League 2

From 2012 to 2016, EPPP Category 1 academies' most senior youth league was an under-21 league known as the U21 Premier League, with four over-age outfield players being permitted to play. From the 2016–17 season onwards, the competition is known as the Premier League 2 and the age limit was increased from under-21 to under-23.[2] This change was reverted for the 2022–23 season onwards, with the competition once again being restricted to under-21 players. In order to help with the transition, teams were allowed up to five over-age outfield players, up from three, and one over-age goalkeeper for the 2022–23 season only.[3]

The competition was split into two divisions, with promotion and relegation between each, from its inception in 2012 until the 2022–23 season. From the 2023–24 season onwards, the competition consists of one division of 26 clubs in a "Swiss-style" format with 20 regular season fixtures and a 16 team knockout stage, similar to the new format of the UEFA Champions League.[4] Clubs in Premier League 2 can also compete in the Premier League Cup, the Premier League International Cup and the EFL Trophy, which is restricted to under-21 players.[5]

#### Champions (Division 1)

[edit]

Season  | Champions

|

2012–13 | Manchester United
2013–14 | Chelsea
2014–15 | Manchester United
2015–16 | Manchester United
2016–17 | Everton
2017–18 | Arsenal
2018–19 | Everton
2019–20 | Chelsea
2020–21 | Manchester City
2021–22 | Manchester City
2022–23 | Manchester City
2023–24 | Tottenham Hotspur

#### Champions (Division 2)

[edit]

Season  | Champions

|

2014–15 | Middlesbrough
2015–16 | Derby County
2016–17 | Swansea City
2017–18 | Blackburn Rovers
2018–19 | Wolverhampton Wanderers
2019–20 | West Ham United
2020–21 | Leeds United
2021–22 | Fulham
2022–23 | Southampton

### Professional Development League

[edit]

Football league

Professional Development League

Current champions| Sheffield United
Most championships| Eleven teams
(1 title each)
Current: 2024–25 Professional Development League

The senior youth age range for EPPP Category Two academies is the Professional Development League. The competition is split into two regional divisions, with the overall champion determined after an end of season play-off series.

#### Champions

[edit]

Season  | Champions

|

2012–13 | Charlton Athletic
2013–14 | Crewe Alexandra
2014–15 | Swansea City
2015–16 | Huddersfield Town
2016–17 | Sheffield Wednesday
2017–18  | Bolton Wanderers
2018–19  | Leeds United
2019–20 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21  | Birmingham City
2021–22  | Coventry City
2022–23  | Millwall
2023–24  | Sheffield United

## Under-18 level

[edit]

### Division 1

[edit]

Football league

U18 Premier League

Domestic cup(s)| FA Youth Cup
U18 Premier League Cup
International cup(s)| UEFA Youth League
Current champions| Manchester United (1st title)
Most championships| Manchester City (4 titles)
Website| Official website
Current: 2024–25 Professional U18 Development League

An under-18 league for EPPP Category 1 academies was formed alongside the formation of the Professional Development League in 2012. Known as the U18 Premier League, the competition is split into two regional divisions (North and South). The two winners of each division contest the final to determine the overall champions. Winners of the top division qualify for the UEFA Youth League.

#### Champions

[edit]

Season  | Champions

|

2012–13  | Fulham
2013–14 | Everton
2014–15 | Middlesbrough
2015–16 | Manchester City
2016–17 | Chelsea
2017–18  | Chelsea
2018–19  | Derby County
2019–20  | Not awarded (COVID-19 pandemic)
2020–21  | Manchester City
2021–22  | Manchester City
2022–23  | Manchester City
2023–24  | Manchester United

#### 2022–23 teams

[edit]

North

Blackburn Rovers
Derby County
Everton
Leeds United
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Middlesbrough
Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest
Stoke City
Sunderland
Wolverhampton Wanderers
South

Arsenal
Aston Villa
Brighton & Hove Albion
Chelsea
Crystal Palace
Fulham
Leicester City
Norwich City
Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur
West Bromwich Albion
West Ham United

### Division 2

[edit]

Football league

U18 Professional Development League

Domestic cup(s)| FA Youth Cup
Current champions| Birmingham City (1st title)
Most championships| Charlton Athletic (3 titles)

The junior youth age range for EPPP Category 2 academies is the U18 Professional Development League. The competition is split into two regional divisions, with the overall champion determined after an end of season play-off series.

#### Champions

[edit]

Season  | Champions

|

2012–13  | Queens Park Rangers
2013–14 | Huddersfield Town
2014–15 | Charlton Athletic
2015–16 | Charlton Athletic
2016–17 | Sheffield United
2017–18  | Charlton Athletic
2018–19  | Sheffield Wednesday
2019–20  | Not awarded (COVID-19 pandemic)
2020–21  | Wigan Athletic
2021–22  | Sheffield United
2022–23  | Barnsley
2023–24  | Birmingham City

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Youth development rules" (pdf). TheFa.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
2. ^ "Premier League 2: Competition format explained". Premier League. Archived from the original on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
3. ^ "Premier League 2 becomes under-21 competition". premierleague.com. 17 June 2022. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
4. ^ Townley, John (20 June 2023). "Premier League clubs vote for change that will impact Aston Villa". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
5. ^ "'Premier League 2 gives optimum opportunities'". Premier League. Archived from the original on 13 September 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Professional Development League.

* v
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* e

Professional Development League

U21/U23|

* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24

U18|

* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24

* v
* t
* e

Reserve and youth football in England

National teams|

* England U-21
* U-20
* U-19
* U-18
* U-17
* U-16

League competitions|

* Professional Development League (Level 1 & 2 – U21 & U18)
* Central League (Level 3 & 4 – reserves)
* Football League Youth Alliance (Level 3 & 4 – U18)

Cup competitions|

* Premier League Cup
* Premier League International Cup
* FA Youth Cup
* FA County Youth Cup
* Central League Cup
* Youth Alliance Cup
* County Cup competitions

Other|

* Elite Player Performance Plan

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