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).
| Premier League 2 | |
| League Cup: | Premier League Cup EFL Trophy |
| Confed Cup: | Premier League International Cup |
| Champions: | Tottenham Hotspur (1st title) |
| Most Successful Club: | Manchester United Manchester City (both 3 titles) |
| Current: | 2024–25 Premier League 2 |
| Website: | Official website |
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]
| Season | Champions | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 | |
| Champions: | Sheffield United |
| Most Successful Club: | 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.
| 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 |
| U18 Premier League | |
| Domest Cup: | FA Youth Cup U18 Premier League Cup |
| Confed Cup: | UEFA Youth League |
| Champions: | Manchester United (1st title) |
| Most Successful Club: | Manchester City (4 titles) |
| Current: | 2024–25 Professional U18 Development League |
| Website: | Official website |
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.
| 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 |
| 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 |
| U18 Professional Development League | |
| Domest Cup: | FA Youth Cup |
| Champions: | Birmingham City (1st title) |
| Most Successful Club: | 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.
| 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 |