EFL Trophy
Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:25:37 PM Wikipedia source
The English Football League Trophy, officially known as the Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English football knockout competition open to all clubs in EFL League One and EFL League Two and U-21 teams from the Premier League and the EFL Championship. Launched in the 1983–84 football season as the Associate Members' Cup, the competition was renamed the Football League Trophy in 1992 after a reorganisation following the formation of the Premier League and again as the current EFL Trophy in 2016 due to The Football League changing its name to the English Football League. The current competition begins with 16 regional groups, each containing 4 teams and divided between northern and southern sections depending on the clubs' geographic locations. The top two from each group qualify for the knockout stages before the two winners meet in late March or early April in the final at Wembley Stadium. Some Midlands and East Anglian clubs fluctuate between the north and south each season for every draw. Other details have varied over the years, including in some years inviting clubs from the National League, and holding a round-robin group stage before moving into knockout rounds. The most successful clubs are Bristol City and Peterborough United, who have lifted the trophy three times each. The current winners are Peterborough United, who beat Birmingham City 2–0 in the 2025 final.
Infobox
Organiser(s)
English Football League
Founded
1983; 42 years ago (1983) (as the Associate Members' Cup)
Region
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Teams
64
Current champions
Peterborough United(
Most championships
Bristol City)
Tables
· Records › Attendances
Stadium
Stadium
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Stadium
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Attendance record
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Year (Final)
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Winner
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Finalist
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Result
Wembley Stadium (new)
Wembley Stadium (new)
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Wembley Stadium (new)
EFL Trophy final attendance records
85,021
EFL Trophy final attendance records
2019
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Portsmouth
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Sunderland
EFL Trophy final attendance records
2–2 (5–4 pen.)
Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Millennium Stadium
EFL Trophy final attendance records
59,024
EFL Trophy final attendance records
2007
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Doncaster Rovers
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Bristol Rovers
EFL Trophy final attendance records
3–2 (a.e.t.)
Wembley Stadium (old)
Wembley Stadium (old)
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Wembley Stadium (old)
EFL Trophy final attendance records
80,841
EFL Trophy final attendance records
1988
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Wolverhampton Wanderers
EFL Trophy final attendance records
Burnley
EFL Trophy final attendance records
2–0
| EFL Trophy final attendance records | ||||||
| Stadium | Attendance record | Year (Final) | Winner | Finalist | Result | |
| Wembley Stadium (new) | 85,021 | 2019 | Portsmouth | Sunderland | 2–2 (5–4 pen.) | |
| Millennium Stadium | 59,024 | 2007 | Doncaster Rovers | Bristol Rovers | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | |
| Wembley Stadium (old) | 80,841 | 1988 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Burnley | 2–0 | |
· Sponsors
Associate Members Cup
Associate Members Cup
Period
1983–1984
Sponsor
None
Name
Associate Members Cup
Trophy
Original
Freight Rover Trophy
Freight Rover Trophy
Period
1984–1987
Sponsor
Freight Rover
Name
Freight Rover Trophy
Trophy
Unknown
Sherpa Van Trophy
Sherpa Van Trophy
Period
1987–1989
Sponsor
LDV Group
Name
Sherpa Van Trophy
Leyland DAF Cup
Leyland DAF Cup
Period
1989–1992
Sponsor
Leyland DAF
Name
Leyland DAF Cup
Autoglass Trophy
Autoglass Trophy
Period
1992–1994
Sponsor
Autoglass
Name
Autoglass Trophy
Auto Windscreens Shield
Auto Windscreens Shield
Period
1994–2000
Sponsor
Auto Windscreens
Name
Auto Windscreens Shield
LDV Vans Trophy
LDV Vans Trophy
Period
2000–2007
Sponsor
LDV Group
Name
LDV Vans Trophy
Trophy
Original
Johnstone's Paint Trophy
Johnstone's Paint Trophy
Period
2007–2016
Sponsor
PPG Industries
Name
Johnstone's Paint Trophy
Checkatrade Trophy
Checkatrade Trophy
Period
2016–2019
Sponsor
Checkatrade.com
Name
Checkatrade Trophy
Leasing.com Trophy
Leasing.com Trophy
Period
2019–2020
Sponsor
Leasing.com
Name
Leasing.com Trophy
Papa Johns Trophy
Papa Johns Trophy
Period
2020–2023
Sponsor
Papa John's
Name
Papa Johns Trophy
Bristol Street Motors Trophy
Bristol Street Motors Trophy
Period
2023–2024
Sponsor
Vertu Motors
Name
Bristol Street Motors Trophy
| Period | Sponsor | Name | Trophy |
| 1983–1984 | None | Associate Members Cup | Original |
| 1984–1987 | Freight Rover | Freight Rover Trophy | Unknown |
| 1987–1989 | LDV Group | Sherpa Van Trophy | |
| 1989–1992 | Leyland DAF | Leyland DAF Cup | |
| 1992–1994 | Autoglass | Autoglass Trophy | |
| 1994–2000 | Auto Windscreens | Auto Windscreens Shield | |
| 2000–2007 | LDV Group | LDV Vans Trophy | Original |
| 2007–2016 | PPG Industries | Johnstone's Paint Trophy | |
| 2016–2019 | Checkatrade.com | Checkatrade Trophy | |
| 2019–2020 | Leasing.com | Leasing.com Trophy | |
| 2020–2023 | Papa John's | Papa Johns Trophy | |
| 2023–2024 | Vertu Motors | Bristol Street Motors Trophy | |
| 2024–2026 | Vertu Trophy |
References
- LDV Vans entered administration in 2007 and the final in March 2007 was branded as the Football League Trophy Final
- Since Leasing.com no longer sponsored the competition in 2021, and the 2020 final was delayed by an entire year, the 201
- Originally branded as Papa John's Trophy before dropping the apostrophe during the 2021–22 season.
- The branding did not come into effect until after the group stage of the 2023–24 competition. As such, the competition w
- The name changed in the middle of the 2024–25 season. During the group stage, it was known as the "Bristol Street Motors
- English Football Leaguehttps://www.efl.com/news/2016/june/premier-league-trial-for-the-trophy/
- "About the Vertu Trophy"https://www.efl.com/competitions/vertu-trophy/about-the-vertu-trophy/
- Stattohttp://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/football-league-trophy/1991-1992/results
- English Football Leaguehttp://www.efl.com/news/article/2015/football-league-to-be-re-named-the-english-football-league-2798210.aspx
- BBC Sporthttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36503204
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/oct/10/prize-money-and-player-development-why-the-efl-trophy-is-on-the-rise
- statto.comhttp://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/football-league-trophy/1983-1984/results/s.r2
- Stattohttp://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/football-league-trophy/1985-1986/results/n.r1-g1
- Stattohttp://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/football-league-trophy/1986-1987/results/s.r1
- Stattohttp://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/football-league-trophy/1993-1994/results/n.r1-g5
- 2004–05 Southern 1st Rnd results, and links to other rounds/seasons – statto.com Archived 6 January 2010 at the Waybackhttp://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/football-league-trophy/2004-2005/results/s.r1
- Stattohttp://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/football-league-trophy/2002-2003/results/n.r1
- BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/5370636.stm
- "EFL Trophy Regulations"https://www.efl.com/news/2024/january/09/bristol-street-motors-trophy--quarter-final-draw/
- BBC Radio Solenthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/7674863.stm
- "Previous Finals"https://www.efl.com/competitions/vertu-trophy/previous-finals/
- Football Club History Databasehttps://www.fchd.info/cups/flgroupcupsummary.htm
- Football Club History Databasehttps://www.fchd.info/cups/fltrophysummary.htm
- Express & Starhttps://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2015/02/25/wolves-a-trip-down-wembley-lane/
- BBC Sporthttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6514043.stm
- www.efl.comhttps://www.efl.com/news/2021/march/finalists-fundraisers-a-huge-success/
- BBC Sporthttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/21241386
- "2018/19 EFL Trophy, Group Stage: Burton Albion vs Middlesbrough U21"http://www.espn.com.au/football/match?gameId=523999
- "Why Portsmouth vs Sunderland is the worst possible EFL Trophy final"https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/portsmouth-sunderland-worst-checkatrade-efl-trophy-final
- "EFL Trophy: Checkatrade check in as trophy title sponsor"https://www.efl.com/news/2016/august/efl-trophy-checkatrade-check-in-as-trophy-title-sponsor-/
- "All you need to know ahead of the Papa Johns Trophy Final"https://www.efl.com/news/2022/april/all-you-need-to-know-ahead-of-the-papa-johns-trophy-final/
- "Papa John's becomes Title Sponsor of the EFL Trophy"https://www.efl.com/news/2020/october/papa-johns-becomes-title-sponsor-of-the-efl-trophy/
- "Bristol Street Motors drives EFL Trophy into new era"https://efl.com/news/2023/november/02/bristol-street-motors-drives-efl-trophy-into-new-era/
- "Bristol Street Motors Trophy renamed Vertu Trophy"https://www.efl.com/news/2024/november/21/bristol-street-motors-trophy-renamed-vertu-trophy/