A prize fund of £1 million is distributed to non-league clubs in the fifth and sixth tiers, with the intention to provide younger players from the PL2 with senior experience. The relaunch of the competition has otherwise been controversial, with criticism and negativity from non-league clubs and their supporters.[2][3][4]
All groups will include four National League sides and four academy sides.
All National League clubs will play each academy side once, and all academy sides will play each National League side once (academy sides will play all group matches away from home).
Clubs will be awarded three points for a win and one point for a draw. Drawn matches will end in a penalty shoot-out with an extra point for the winners.
The top two teams in each group will progress to the knockout stage.
Knockout stage
In Round 2, the group winners will be seeded and the group runners-up will be unseeded in the draw.
In Round 2, teams who played in the same group as each other in the group stage will be kept apart.
Broadcasting
The National League announced all fixtures would be streamed live and free on NLTV.[8]
Group stage
The group stage draw was made on 19 September 2024, when the competition was announced.[1][9][10]
^Initially the 14 teams in the 2023-24 National League who were not promoted, plus the two teams relegated from League Two, were due to compete. However Barnet, Eastleigh, Hartlepool United, Solihull Moors and Southend United declined the invitation to the competition. AFC Fylde, Yeovil Town and York City also declined to compete, with the remaining teams from outside the top 16 from the previous season making up the numbers.[2]
^ abcReading were originally allocated to Group A.[5] On 25 September, Reading withdrew citing lack of available players and due to the "higher than expected demands on the squad",[2] adding the "original decision to enter [the competition] was made back in June".[1][6] On the same day, Derby County confirmed their participation in the competition as Reading's replacement.[7]
^Premier League 2 side Reading withdrew from the competition and were replaced by Derby County.[b]
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