2020–21 EFL Trophy
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | England Wales | 
| Teams | 64 | 
| Defending champions | Salford City | 
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Sunderland (1st title) | 
| Runners-up | Tranmere Rovers | 
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 127 | 
| Goals scored | 420 (3.31 per match) | 
| Top goal scorer(s) | Harvey Saunders Charlie Wyke (5 goals each) | 
The 2020–21 EFL Trophy, known as the Leasing.com Trophy before 28 October 2020 and later the Papa John's Trophy for sponsorship reasons, was the 40th season in the history of the competition, a knock-out tournament for English football clubs in League One and League Two of the English football system, and also including 16 Premier League and Championship "Academy teams" with Category One status.[1]
Salford City were the defending champions; however, the 2020 final was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic until the day prior to the 2021 final. Hence, for most of the tournament, Portsmouth (who won the 2019 final and were also in the 2020 final) were the most recent champions.
Sunderland won the trophy for the first time after beating Tranmere Rovers 1–0 in the final.
Participating clubs
- 48 clubs from League One and League Two.
- 16 invited Category One Academy teams.
- Expelled clubs were automatically eliminated from the tournament.
- Category One teams relegated to League One missed out on having academies participate in the following tournament.
Four Premier League clubs with Category One academies did not participate: Burnley and Crystal Palace, both in their first full season of Category One status, and Everton and Tottenham Hotspur, who both played in the previous year's competition but declined to participate in this one. A fifth Premier League club's academy, Sheffield United, did not have Category One status. As a result, the academy of Championship-side Norwich City was invited instead.
Eligibility criteria for players
- For EFL clubs[2]
- Minimum of four qualifying outfield players in their starting XI. A qualifying outfield player was one who met any of the following requirements:
- Any player who started the previous or following first-team fixture.
- Any player who was in the top 10 players at the club who had made the most starting appearances in league and domestic cup competitions that season.
- Any player with forty or more first-team appearances in their career.
- Any player on loan from a Premier League club or any EFL Category One Academy club.
 
- A club could play any eligible goalkeeper in the competition.
Competition format
- Group stage
- Sixteen groups of four teams were organised on a regionalised basis.
- All groups included one invited club.
- All clubs played each other once, either home or away (Academies played all group matches away from home).
- Clubs were awarded three points for a win and one point for a draw.
- In the event of a drawn game (after 90 minutes), a penalty shoot-out was held with the winning team earning an additional point.
- Clubs expelled from the EFL were knocked out of the tournament automatically.
- The top two teams progressed to the knockout stage.
- Knockout stage
- Round 2 and 3 of the competition were drawn on a regionalised basis.
- In Round 2, the group winners were seeded and the group runners-up were unseeded in the draw.
- In Round 2, teams who played in the same group as each other in the group stage were kept apart from each other.[3]
Group stage
Northern Section
Group A
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L1 | Fleetwood Town | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | L1 | Sunderland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 6 | +8 | 6 | |
| 3 | L2 | Carlisle United | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 9 | −2 | 3 | |
| 4 | ACA | Aston Villa U21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 14 | −12 | 0 | 
| 1 September 2020 | Carlisle United | 1–3 | Fleetwood Town | Carlisle | 
| 19:00 BST | Touré  36'  90' | Report | Camps  44' Saunders  57', 68' | Stadium: Brunton Park Attendance: 0 Referee: Ben Speedie | 
| 8 September 2020 | Sunderland | 8–1 | Aston Villa U21 | Stadium of Light | 
| 19:00 BST | Wyke  15', 50' Feeney  21' Scowen  75' Power  77' Graham  82' Dobson  84' O'Brien  90' | Report | Vassilev  47' (pen.) | Attendance: 0 Referee: Carl Boyeson | 
| 6 October 2020 | Fleetwood Town | 3–0 | Aston Villa U21 | Highbury Stadium | 
| 19:45 BST | Saunders  3', 4', 15' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Peter Wright | 
| 6 October 2020 | Sunderland | 5–3 | Carlisle United | Stadium of Light | 
| 19:45 BST | Maguire  26', 54' Hume  37' Wyke  69' Diamond  90+1' | Alessandra  6' (pen.) Mellish  72', 82' | Attendance: 0 | 
| 10 November 2020 | Fleetwood Town | 2–1 | Sunderland | Highbury Stadium | 
| 19:45 GMT | McKay  51' Duffy  59' | McFadzean  15' | Attendance: 0 | 
| 17 November 2020 | Carlisle United | 3–1 | Aston Villa U21 | Brunton Park | 
| 19:00 GMT | Obiero  32' Touré  55' Reilly  68' | Sohna  82' | Attendance: 0 | 
Group B
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L2 | Salford City | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | ACA | Manchester United U21 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 5 | |
| 3 | L1 | Rochdale | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | |
| 4 | L2 | Morecambe | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 3 | 
| 8 September 2020 | Morecambe | 1–2 | Rochdale | Globe Arena | 
| 19:45 BST | Lavelle  23' | Report | Tavares  86' Newby  90+3' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Samuel Barrott | 
| 9 September 2020 | Salford City | 0–6 | Manchester United U21 | Moor Lane | 
| 19:45 BST | Report | Mejbri  8' Puigmal  19' Helm  46', 73' McCann  70' Elanga  74' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Peter Wright | 
| 29 September 2020 | Rochdale | 0–0 (4–5 p) | Manchester United U21 | Spotland Stadium | 
| 19:45 BST | Report | Attendance: 0 Referee: Martin Coy | ||
| Penalties | ||||
| Morley  Newby  Tavares  Keohane  Rathbone  Hopper  | Mejbri  McCann  Wellens  Hansen-Aarøen  Elanga  Hugill  | |||
| 29 September 2020 | Salford City | 2–0 | Morecambe | Moor Lane | 
| 19:45 BST | Wilson  45' Hunter  90+2' | Report | Attendance: 0 Referee: James Bell | 
| 10 November 2020 | Rochdale | 1–2 | Salford City | Spotland Stadium | 
| 19:00 GMT | Beesley  8' | Andrade  53' Dieseruvwe  82' (pen.) | Attendance: 0 | 
| 18 November 2020 | Morecambe | 4–0 | Manchester United U21 | Globe Arena | 
| 18:30 GMT | Cooney  24', 28' Davis  34' Price  62' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Anthony Backhouse | 
Group C
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L1 | Shrewsbury Town | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 | +5 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | L1 | Crewe Alexandra | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 6 | |
| 3 | L2 | Bolton Wanderers | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | ACA | Newcastle United U21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 0 | 
| 8 September 2020 | Bolton Wanderers | 2–3 | Crewe Alexandra | University of Bolton Stadium | 
| 19:00 BST | Delaney  53' Miller  75' | Report | Mandron  15', 89' (pen.) Dale  66' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Anthony Backhouse | 
| 22 September 2020 | Shrewsbury Town | 3–0 | Newcastle United U21 | New Meadow | 
| 17:30 BST | High  11' Barnett  18' Cummings  55' | Report | Attendance: 0 Referee: Scott Oldham | 
| 29 September 2020 | Crewe Alexandra | 1–0 | Newcastle United U21 | Gresty Road | 
| 19:00 BST | Pickering  66' | Report | Attendance: 0 Referee: Robert Lewis | 
| 6 October 2020 | Shrewsbury Town | 2–1 | Bolton Wanderers | New Meadow | 
| 19:00 BST | 
 | Attendance: 0 | 
| 10 November 2020 | Crewe Alexandra | 3–4 | Shrewsbury Town | Gresty Road | 
| 19:00 GMT | Attendance: 0 | 
| 17 November 2020 | Bolton Wanderers | 3–2 | Newcastle United U21 | University of Bolton Stadium | 
| 19:00 GMT | 
 | Attendance: 0 | 
Group D
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L2 | Port Vale | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 8 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | L2 | Tranmere Rovers | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 6 | |
| 3 | L1 | Wigan Athletic | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 6 | +3 | 4 | |
| 4 | ACA | Liverpool U21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 13 | −8 | 0 | 
| 8 September 2020 | Port Vale | 0–0 (4–3 p) | Tranmere Rovers | Vale Park | 
| 19:00 BST | Report | Attendance: 0 Referee: Declan Bourne | ||
| Penalties | ||||
| Whitehead  Cullen  Conlon  Trickett-Smith  Rodney  Fitzpatrick  | Banks  Khan  Morris  O'Connor  Payne  Walker-Rice  | |||
| 22 September 2020 | Wigan Athletic | 6–1 | Liverpool U21 | DW Stadium | 
| 19:45 BST | Naismith  47' Jolley  59', 66' Crankshaw  79', 90' Garner  81' (pen.) | Report | Clarkson  44' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Andy Haines | 
| 29 September 2020 | Tranmere Rovers | 3–2 | Liverpool U21 | Prenton Park | 
| 19:00 BST | Vaughan  74', 75' Payne  90' | Report | Cain  50' Longstaff  83' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Scott Oldham | 
| 6 October 2020 | Wigan Athletic | 1–3 | Port Vale | DW Stadium | 
| 19:45 BST | Pearce  79' | Report | Robinson  13', 30' Montaño  55' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Samuel Barrott | 
| 10 November 2020 | Port Vale | 4–2 | Liverpool U21 | Vale Park | 
| 19:00 GMT | Cullen  12' Hurst  19' McKirdy  61' Rodney  64' | Report | Millar  11', 34' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Thomas Bramall | 
| 11 November 2020 | Tranmere Rovers | 2–2 (3–1 p) | Wigan Athletic | Birkenhead | 
| 18:30 GMT | Woolery  45+1' Morris  72' | Report | Keane  19' McHugh  45+3' | Stadium: Prenton Park Attendance: 0 Referee: Ben Speedie | 
| Penalties | ||||
| Ferrier  Lloyd  Smith  Banks  Morris  | James  Joseph  Perry  Crankshaw  | |||
Group E
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ACA | Manchester City U21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 7 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | L1 | Lincoln City | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 7 | |
| 3 | L2 | Mansfield Town | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | −4 | 3 | |
| 4 | L2 | Scunthorpe United | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 1 | 
| 8 September 2020 | Mansfield Town | 0–3 | Manchester City U21 | Field Mill | 
| 18:00 BST | Report | Bernabé  25' Delap  89', 90+1' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Tom Nield | 
| 8 September 2020 | Lincoln City | 1–1 (4–2 p) | Scunthorpe United | Sincil Bank | 
| 19:00 BST | Anderson  80' | Report | Cordner  38' | Attendance: 0 Referee: James Oldham | 
| Penalties | ||||
| Howarth  Montsma  Scully  Jones  | Jarvis  Vincent  Hippolyte  Gilliead  | |||
| 29 September 2020 | Scunthorpe United | 0–4 | Manchester City U21 | Glanford Park | 
| 19:00 BST | Report | Knight  17', 63' Edozie  58', 66' | Attendance: 0 Referee: James Adcock | 
| 6 October 2020 | Mansfield Town | 1–3 | Lincoln City | Field Mill | 
| 19:00 BST | Menayese  72' | Report | Soule  31' Scully  49' Archibald  62' | Attendance: 0 | 
| 10 November 2020 | Scunthorpe United | 1–2 | Mansfield Town | Glanford Park | 
| 19:00 GMT | 
 | Attendance: 0 | 
| 17 November 2020 | Lincoln City | 1–1 (4–3 p) | Manchester City U21 | Sincil Bank | 
| 19:00 GMT | 
 | 
 | Attendance: 0 | |
| Penalties | ||||
| Archibald  Anderson  Gotts  Jones  Grant  | Bernabé  Nmecha  Lavia  Gyabi  Simmonds  | |||
Group F
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L2 | Oldham Athletic | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | +8 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | ACA | Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 5 | |
| 3 | L2 | Bradford City | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 2 | |
| 4 | L1 | Doncaster Rovers | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 2 | 
| 8 September 2020 | Doncaster Rovers | 0–0 (4–1 p) | Bradford City | Keepmoat Stadium | 
| 19:30 BST | Report | Attendance: 0 Referee: Seb Stockbridge | ||
| Penalties | ||||
| Whiteman  Okenabirhie  Coppinger  Williams  | Guthrie  Pritchard  Longridge  | |||
| 15 September 2020 | Oldham Athletic | 4–0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 | Boundary Park | 
| 19:45 BST | Rowe  42' Grant  85' McAleny  88', 90+1' | Report | Attendance: 0 Referee: Graham Salisbury | 
| 6 October 2020 | Bradford City | 1–1 (3–5 p) | Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 | Valley Parade | 
| 19:30 BST | 
 | Report | 
 | Attendance: 0 | 
| Penalties | ||||
| Pritchard  Hosannah  Shanks  Scales  | Samuels  Hoever  Shabani   Corbeanu   Sanderson  | |||
| 6 October 2020 | Oldham Athletic | 2–0 | Doncaster Rovers | Boundary Park | 
| 19:45 BST | Attendance: 0 | 
| 10 November 2020 | Doncaster Rovers | 1–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 | Keepmoat Stadium | 
| 19:00 GMT | Okenabirhie  23' (pen.) | Silva  15', 88' | Attendance: 0 | 
| 10 November 2020 | Bradford City | 1–3 | Oldham Athletic | Valley Parade | 
| 19:30 GMT | 
 | 
 | Attendance: 0 | 
Group G
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L1 | Accrington Stanley | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | +8 | 8 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | L1 | Blackpool | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 6 | |
| 3 | L2 | Barrow | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | ACA | Leeds United U21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 12 | −10 | 1 | 
| 8 September 2020 | Accrington Stanley | 7–0 | Leeds United U21 | Crown Ground | 
| 19:00 BST | Uwakwe  5', 22', 72' Burgess  14' Charles  30' Cassidy  38', 55' | Report | Attendance: 0 Referee: Ben Toner | 
| 8 September 2020 | Blackpool | 0–0 (5–3 p) | Barrow | Bloomfield Road | 
| 19:00 BST | Report | Attendance: 0 Referee: Martin Coy | ||
| Penalties | ||||
| Yates  Lubala  Anderson  Ward  Kemp  | Quigley  Brown  Gribbin  Taylor  | |||
| 5 October 2020 | Barrow | 2–2 (4–3 p) | Leeds United U21 | Holker Street | 
| 19:45 BST | Angus  62' Taylor  80' | Report | Dean  11', 38' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Marc Edwards | 
| Penalties | ||||
| Angus  James  Taylor  Hird  Kay  Taylor  | Summerville  Shackleton  Galloway  Gibbon  Dean  Jenkins  | |||
| 6 October 2020 | Accrington Stanley | 1–1 (4–3 p) | Blackpool | Crown Ground | 
| 19:00 BST | Bishop  79' | Report | Anderson  10' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Ben Speedie | 
| Penalties | ||||
| Bishop  Charles  Sykes  Pritchard  Scully  | Yates  Robson  Anderson  Ward  Kemp  | |||
| 10 November 2020 | Barrow | 0–1 | Accrington Stanley | Holker Street | 
| 19:45 GMT | 
 | Attendance: 0 Referee: James Bell | 
| 11 November 2020 | Blackpool | 3–0 | Leeds United U21 | Bloomfield Road | 
| 19:45 GMT | Attendance: 0 | 
Group H
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L1 | Hull City | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | ACA | Leicester City U21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 6 | |
| 3 | L2 | Harrogate Town | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 | |
| 4 | L2 | Grimsby Town | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | −5 | 2 | 
| 8 September 2020 | Hull City | 1–2 | Leicester City U21 | KCOM Stadium | 
| 17:30 BST | Lewis-Potter  66' | Report | Wright  50' Hirst  90+5' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Ross Joyce | 
| 8 September 2020 | Grimsby Town | 2–2 (5–4 p) | Harrogate Town | Blundell Park | 
| 19:45 BST | Gibson  36' (pen.) Boyd  74' Khouri  90' | Report | Kiernan  81' Lokko  86' | Attendance: 0 Referee: David Hunt | 
| Penalties | ||||
| Gibson  Taylor  Edwards  Starbuck  Jackson Jr  | Thomson  Martin  Beck  Burrell  Kerry  | |||
| 6 October 2020 | Harrogate Town | 3–1 | Leicester City U21 | Keepmoat Stadium[a] | 
| 19:45 BST | 
 | Attendance: 0 | 
| 10 November 2020 | Grimsby Town | 1–3 | Leicester City U21 | Blundell Park | 
| 19:45 GMT | 
 | Attendance: 0 | 
| 10 November 2020 | Harrogate Town | 0–2 | Hull City | Wetherby Road | 
| 19:45 GMT | Attendance: 0 | 
| 17 November 2020 | Hull City | 3–0 | Grimsby Town | KCOM Stadium | 
| 19:45 BST | Samuelsen  27', 32' Scott  79' | Attendance: 0 | 
- ^ Match played at Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster due to ongoing pitch renovations at Wetherby Road.
Southern Section
Group A
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ACA | West Ham United U21 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | L1 | Portsmouth | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 6 | |
| 3 | L2 | Colchester United | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 3 | |
| 4 | L2 | Southend United | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 12 | −10 | 0 | 
| 8 September 2020 | Southend United | 1–3 | West Ham United U21 | Roots Hall | 
| 17:30 BST | Humphrys  13' | Report | Odubeko  2', 84' Coventry  90+1' | Attendance: 0 Referee: David Rock | 
| 8 September 2020 | Portsmouth | 2–0 | Colchester United | Fratton Park | 
| 19:00 BST | Harness  37', 38' | Report | Attendance: 0 Referee: Craig Hick | 
| 29 September 2020 | Colchester United | 0–1 | West Ham United U21 | Colchester Community Stadium | 
| 19:00 BST | Report | Coventry  61' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Sam Purkiss | 
| 6 October 2020 | Southend United | 0–3 | Portsmouth | Roots Hall | 
| 19:45 BST | Marquis  21' (pen.) Curtis  40', 77' | Attendance: 0 | 
| 10 November 2020 | Colchester United | 6–1 | Southend United | Colchester Community Stadium | 
| 19:30 GMT | Brown  16', 38', 57' (pen.) Folivi  62' Chilvers  70' Poku  83' | Sterling  90+2' | Attendance: 0 | 
| 10 November 2020 | Portsmouth | 0–1 | West Ham United U21 | Fratton Park | 
| 19:45 GMT | 
 | Attendance: 0 | 
Group B
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ACA | Arsenal U21 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 8 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | L1 | Gillingham | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 4 | |
| 3 | L2 | Crawley Town | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | |
| 4 | L1 | Ipswich Town | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 3 | 
| 8 September 2020 | Gillingham | 2–1 | Crawley Town | Priestfield Stadium | 
| 17:30 BST | Coyle  40' Oliver  50' | Report | Ferguson  78' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Paul Howard | 
| 8 September 2020 | Ipswich Town | 1–2 | Arsenal U21 | Portman Road | 
| 19:45 BST | Nolan  26' | Report | Lewis  45+1' Balogun  54' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Neil Hair | 
| 6 October 2020 | Ipswich Town | 2–0 | Gillingham | Portman Road | 
| 19:00 BST | Report | Attendance: 0 Referee: Charles Breakspear | 
| 13 October 2020 | Crawley Town | 1–2 | Arsenal U21 | Broadfield Stadium | 
| 19:45 BST | Watters  37' | Report | McEneff  15' Azeez  55' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Alan Young | 
| 10 November 2020 | Crawley Town | 2–0 | Ipswich Town | Broadfield Stadium | 
| 19:00 GMT | Galach  17', 55' | Report | Attendance: 0 Referee: Sam Purkiss | 
| 10 November 2020 | Gillingham | 1–1 (2–4 p) | Arsenal U21 | Priestfield Stadium | 
| 19:00 GMT | Coyle  56' | Report | Cîrjan  6' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Will Finnie | 
| Penalties | ||||
| Coyle  Samuel  McKenzie  Eccles  | Balogun  Möller  Cottrell  Cîrjan  | |||
Group C
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L1 | Milton Keynes Dons | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | L1 | Northampton Town | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 5 | |
| 3 | L2 | Stevenage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | |
| 4 | ACA | Southampton U21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | −5 | 3 | 
| 8 September 2020 | Milton Keynes Dons | 3–1 | Northampton Town | Stadium MK | 
| 19:00 BST | Poole  34' Nombe  74' Sorinola  77' | Report | Mills  13' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Christopher Pollard | 
| 22 September 2020 | Stevenage | 2–1 | Southampton U21 | Broadhall Way | 
| 19:45 BST | Dinanga  45+3' Marsh  90+2' | Report | Slattery  37' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Alan Young | 
| 6 October 2020 | Northampton Town | 5–0 | Southampton U21 | Sixfields Stadium | 
| 19:45 BST | Mills  7' Marshall  40' Ashley-Seal  46', 58' Chukwuemeka  50' | Attendance: 0 | 
| 6 October 2020 | Stevenage | 2–3 | Milton Keynes Dons | Broadhall Way | 
| 19:45 BST | Attendance: 0 | 
| 11 November 2020 | Milton Keynes Dons | 1–2 | Southampton U21 | Stadium MK | 
| 19:45 GMT | 
 | 
 | Attendance: 0 | 
| 17 November 2020 | Northampton Town | 0–0 (4–2 p) | Stevenage | Sixfields Stadium | 
| 19:30 GMT | Attendance: 0 | |||
| Penalties | ||||
| Lines  Rose  McWilliams  Horsfall  Chukwuemeka  | Newton  Carter  Marsh  Akinwande  | |||
Group D
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L1 | Oxford United | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 8 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | L1 | Bristol Rovers | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 5 | |
| 3 | L2 | Walsall | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | ACA | Chelsea U21 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 2 | 
| 8 September 2020 | Bristol Rovers | 2–2 (2–4 p) | Walsall | Memorial Stadium | 
| 19:45 BST | Jules  29' Gordon  64' | Attendance: 0 | ||
| Penalties | ||||
| Kelly  Harries  Hare  Ayunga  | Norman  McDonald  Holden  Lavery  Gordon  | |||
| 8 September 2020 | Oxford United | 2–1 | Chelsea U21 | Kassam Stadium | 
| 19:45 BST | Agyei  17' Osei  45+2' | Report | Russell  53' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Trevor Kettle | 
| 29 September 2020 | Walsall | 1–1 (3–5 p) | Chelsea U21 | Bescot Stadium | 
| 19:45 BST | McDonald  53' | Report | Simeu  69' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Brett Huxtable | 
| Penalties | ||||
| Norman  Holden  Adebayo  Lavery  | Russell  Flabema  Ballo  Simeu  Maatsen  | |||
| 6 October 2020 | Oxford United | 1–1 (4–3 p) | Bristol Rovers | Kassam Stadium | 
| 19:00 BST | Osei  89' | Report | Mehew  12' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Neil Hair | 
| Penalties | ||||
| Osei  Agyei  McGuane  Hall  Brannagan  | Leahy  Upson  Hare  Hargreaves  Baldwin  | |||
| 10 November 2020 | Walsall | 0–1 | Oxford United | Bescot Stadium | 
| 19:45 GMT | 
 | Attendance: 0 | 
| 18 November 2020 | Bristol Rovers | 4–3 | Chelsea U21 | Memorial Stadium | 
| 19:45 GMT | 
 | Attendance: 0 | 
Group E
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L2 | Exeter City | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | L2 | Forest Green Rovers | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 3 | |
| 3 | L1 | Swindon Town | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | ACA | West Bromwich Albion U21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 3 | 
| 8 September 2020 | Exeter City | 3–2 | Forest Green Rovers | St James Park | 
| 17:30 BST | Ajose  45+1' Jay  57' Key  67' | Report | Stevens  5', 51' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Sam Allison | 
| 8 September 2020 | Swindon Town | 2–3 | West Bromwich Albion U21 | County Ground | 
| 19:45 BST | Smith  72' Caddis  75' | Report | Dyce  27' Windsor  47' Gardner-Hickman  74' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Chris Sarginson | 
| 6 October 2020 | Forest Green Rovers | 3–0 | West Bromwich Albion U21 | The New Lawn | 
| 19:45 BST | Stokes  17' Stevens  19' Young  29' | Attendance: 0 | 
| 6 October 2020 | Swindon Town | 3–4 | Exeter City | County Ground | 
| 19:00 BST | Smith  61', 85' Palmer  90+3' | Kite  4' Seymour  7' (pen.) Atangana  63' Hartridge  68' | Attendance: 0 | 
| 10 November 2020 | Forest Green Rovers | 0–1 | Swindon Town | The New Lawn | 
| 19:00 GMT | 
 | Attendance: 0 | 
| 17 November 2020 | Exeter City | 4–0 | West Bromwich Albion U21 | St James Park | 
| 19:45 GMT | Kite  27' Seymour  48' Sparkes  60' Law  84' | Attendance: 0 | 
Group F
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L2 | Cheltenham Town | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | ACA | Norwich City U21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 6 | |
| 3 | L1 | Plymouth Argyle | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | L2 | Newport County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 | −8 | 0 | 
| 8 September 2020 | Newport County | 0–1 | Cheltenham Town | Rodney Parade | 
| 19:00 BST | Report | Reid  70' | Attendance: 0 Referee: James Adcock | 
| 8 September 2020 | Plymouth Argyle | 2–3 | Norwich City U21 | Home Park | 
| 19:45 BST | Lolos  39' (pen.) Telford  63' | Report | Hondermarck  26' Omotoye  54' Dennis  67' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Andy Davies | 
| 6 October 2020 | Newport County | 0–5 | Norwich City U21 | Rodney Parade | 
| 19:00 BST | Attendance: 0 | 
| 6 October 2020 | Cheltenham Town | 2–0 | Plymouth Argyle | Whaddon Road | 
| 19:45 BST | Reid  56', 77' | Attendance: 0 | 
| 10 November 2020 | Plymouth Argyle | 3–1 | Newport County | Home Park | 
| 19:00 GMT | Reeves  30' Cooper  48', 59' | Amond  64' | Attendance: 0 | 
| 10 November 2020 | Cheltenham Town | 1–0 | Norwich City U21 | Whaddon Road | 
| 19:00 GMT | Lloyd  67' | Attendance: 0 | 
Group G
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L2 | Leyton Orient | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | L1 | AFC Wimbledon | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 6 | |
| 3 | L1 | Charlton Athletic | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 5 | |
| 4 | ACA | Brighton & Hove Albion U21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 1 | 
| 1 September 2020 | AFC Wimbledon | 2–1 | Charlton Athletic | Loftus Road[a] | 
| 17:30 BST | Roscrow  46' Thomas  58' | Report | Oztumer  21' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Carl Brook | 
| 8 September 2020 | Leyton Orient | 3–2 | Brighton & Hove Albion U21 | Brisbane Road | 
| 19:00 BST | Ling  36' Johnson  55' Wilkinson  90+5' | Report | Wilson  84', 88' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Sam Purkiss | 
| 22 September 2020 | AFC Wimbledon | 2–0 | Brighton & Hove Albion U21 | Broadfield Stadium[b] | 
| 18:00 BST | Robinson  20' Roscrow  87' | Report | Attendance: 0 Referee: Craig Hicks | 
| 30 September 2020 | Charlton Athletic | 1–1 (4–1 p) | Brighton & Hove Albion U21 | The Valley | 
| 19:00 BST | Morgan  48' | Report | Lapslie  30' (o.g.) | Attendance: 0 Referee: Lee Swabey | 
| Penalties | ||||
| Vennings  Morgan  Henry  Davison  | Spong  Yapi  Vukoje  | |||
| 6 October 2020 | Leyton Orient | 2–0 | AFC Wimbledon | Brisbane Road | 
| 19:00 BST | Angol  33' Wilkinson  74' | Report | Attendance: 0 Referee: Sam Allison | 
| 10 November 2020 | Charlton Athletic | 3–1 | Leyton Orient | The Valley | 
| 19:00 GMT | Aouachria  12' Mingi  64' Maddison  74' | Report | Dennis  67' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Charles Breakspear | 
- ^ Match played at Loftus Road in White City, London due to ongoing construction at Plough Lane.
- ^ Match played at Broadfield Stadium in Crawley due to ongoing construction at Plough Lane.
Group H
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L2 | Cambridge United | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 8 | Advance to Round 2 | 
| 2 | L1 | Peterborough United | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 6 | |
| 3 | L1 | Burton Albion | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 3 | |
| 4 | ACA | Fulham U21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | −4 | 1 | 
| 8 September 2020 | Peterborough United | 3–3 (5–4 p) | Burton Albion | London Road Stadium | 
| 19:00 BST | Clarke  3' Reed  23' Mason  68' | Report | Lawless  44' Powell  52', 55' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Will Finnie | 
| Penalties | ||||
| Burrows  Hamilton  Reed  Eisa  Clarke  | Bostwick  Fox  Powell  O'Toole  Gilligan  | |||
| 8 September 2020 | Cambridge United | 2–0 | Fulham U21 | Abbey Stadium | 
| 19:45 BST | Knowles  24' Mullin  84' | Report | Attendance: 862[4] Referee: Darren Drysdale | 
| 6 October 2020 | Burton Albion | 2–4 | Cambridge United | Pirelli Stadium | 
| 19:45 BST | Akins  3' Powell  4' | Report | Knibbs  27' Hannant  31', 86' Darling  79' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Ross Joyce | 
| 6 October 2020 | Peterborough United | 4–2 | Fulham U21 | London Road Stadium | 
| 19:45 BST | Eisa  24' Szmodics  49' Clarke  56' Boyd  76' | Report | Harris  52' Tiehi  72' | Attendance: 0 Referee: Trevor Kettle | 
| 10 November 2020 | Burton Albion | 1–1 (4–1 p) | Fulham U21 | Pirelli Stadium | 
| 19:45 GMT | Edwards  34' | Report | Hemmings  10' (o.g.) | Attendance: 0 Referee: Robert Lewis | 
| Penalties | ||||
| Hemmings  Lawless  Hart  Gilligan  | Biereth  Harris  Pajaziti  | |||
| 10 November 2020 | Cambridge United | 1–1 (3–1 p) | Peterborough United | Abbey Stadium | 
| 19:45 GMT | Worman  86' | Report | Clarke  48' | Attendance: 0 Referee: John Busby | 
| Penalties | ||||
| Dunk  Knowles  Dallas  | Burrows  Hamilton  Tasdemir  Eisa  | |||
Round 2
Northern section
| 8 December 2020 | Hull City | 0–0 (3–2 p) | Crewe Alexandra | Kingston upon Hull | 
| 17:30 GMT | Report | Stadium: KCOM Stadium Attendance: 0 | ||
| Penalties | ||||
| 8 December 2020 | Shrewsbury Town | 1–4 | Lincoln City | Shrewsbury | 
| 19:00 GMT | Tracey  44' | Report | Scully  18' Elbouzedi  40' Howarth  67' Grant  78' (pen.) | Stadium: New Meadow Attendance: 200 | 
| 8 December 2020 | Salford City | 3–3 (5–6 p) | Leicester City U21 | Salford | 
| 19:00 GMT | Thomas-Asante  24' Dieseruvwe  55', 78' | Report | Muskwe  64', 69' Flynn  83' | Stadium: Moor Lane Attendance: 0 | 
| Penalties | ||||
| 8 December 2020 | Port Vale | 2–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 | Burslem | 
| 19:00 GMT | McKirdy  30' Mills  80' | Report | Perry  20' | Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 0 | 
| 8 December 2020 | Tranmere Rovers | 2–1 | Manchester City U21 | Birkenhead | 
| 19:00 GMT | Lloyd  27' Banks  88' (pen.) | Report | Delap  17' | Stadium: Prenton Park Attendance: 0 | 
| 8 December 2020 | Accrington Stanley | 3–2 | Manchester United U21 | Accrington | 
| 19:00 GMT | Burgess  8' Pritchard  67', 85' | Report | Pellistri  39' Elanga  61' | Stadium: Crown Ground Attendance: 0 Referee: Thomas Bramall | 
| 8 December 2020 | Oldham Athletic | 1–2 | Sunderland | Oldham | 
| 19:00 GMT | Grant  13' | Report | Maguire  30' Scowen  64' | Stadium: Boundary Park Attendance: 0 | 
| 8 December 2020 | Fleetwood Town | 0–0 (5–4 p) | Blackpool | Fleetwood | 
| 19:45 GMT | Report | Stadium: Highbury Stadium Attendance: 0 | ||
| Penalties | ||||
Southern section
| 8 December 2020 | AFC Wimbledon | 3–0 | Arsenal U21 | Wimbledon, London | 
| 18:00 GMT | Report | Stadium: Plough Lane Attendance: 0 Referee: Christopher Pollard | 
| 8 December 2020 | Milton Keynes Dons | 6–0 | Norwich City U21 | Milton Keynes | 
| 19:00 GMT | Report | Stadium: Stadium MK Attendance: 200 Referee: Will Finnie | 
| 8 December 2020 | Peterborough United | 3–0 | West Ham United U21 | Peterborough | 
| 19:00 GMT | Report | Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 750 Referee: Paul Howard | 
| 8 December 2020 | Oxford United | 1–1 (4–1 p) | Forest Green Rovers | Oxford | 
| 19:00 GMT | 
 | Report | 
 | Stadium: Kassam Stadium Attendance: 1,036 Referee: Craig Hicks | 
| Penalties | ||||
| 8 December 2020 | Exeter City | 1–2 | Northampton Town | Exeter | 
| 19:00 GMT | 
 | Report | 
 | Stadium: St James Park Attendance: 714 Referee: Carl Brook | 
| 8 December 2020 | Cheltenham Town | 0–3 | Portsmouth | Cheltenham | 
| 19:00 GMT | Report | Stadium: Whaddon Road Attendance: 718 Referee: Kevin Johnson | 
| 8 December 2020 | Leyton Orient | 1–2 | Bristol Rovers | Leyton, London | 
| 19:00 GMT | Report | Stadium: Brisbane Road Attendance: 574 Referee: Alan Young | 
| 8 December 2020 | Cambridge United | 2–0 | Gillingham | Cambridge | 
| 19:45 GMT | Report | Stadium: Abbey Stadium Attendance: 724 Referee: David Rock | 
Round 3
Northern section
| 12 January 2021 | Sunderland | 2–0 | Port Vale | Sunderland | 
| 18:00 GMT | O'Brien  21' McGeady  90+7' (pen.) | Stadium: Stadium of Light Attendance: 0 Referee: Declan Bourne | 
| 12 January 2021 | Lincoln City | 4–0 | Accrington Stanley | Lincoln | 
| 19:00 GMT | Elbouzedi  32' Gotts  53' Johnson  62' Grant  90+2' | Stadium: Sincil Bank Attendance: 0 Referee: Chris Sarginson | 
| 12 January 2021 | Hull City | 3–2 | Fleetwood Town | Kingston upon Hull | 
| 17:30 GMT | Wilks  78' Lewis-Potter  80' Coyle  90+4' | Madden  8' Burns  53' | Stadium: KCOM Stadium Attendance: 0 Referee: Ross Joyce | 
| 13 January 2021 | Tranmere Rovers | 4–2 | Leicester City U21 | Birkenhead | 
| 19:30 GMT | Ferrier  4' Lloyd  37', 45+1' Blackett-Taylor  53' | Wakeling  36' Suengchitthawon  56' | Stadium: Prenton Park Attendance: 0 Referee: Marc Edwards | 
Southern section
| 12 January 2021 | Bristol Rovers | 0–1 | AFC Wimbledon | Bristol | 
| 19:00 GMT | Rudoni  61' | Stadium: Memorial Stadium Attendance: 0 Referee: John Busby | 
| 12 January 2021 | Northampton Town | 0–2 | Milton Keynes Dons | Northampton | 
| 19:45 GMT | Walker  27', 83' (pen.) | Stadium: Sixfields Stadium Attendance: 0 Referee: Craig Hicks | 
| 12 January 2021 | Oxford United | 1–0 | Cambridge United | Oxford | 
| 19:45 GMT | Hall  74' | Stadium: Kassam Stadium Attendance: 0 Referee: Charles Breakspear | 
| 12 January 2021 | Peterborough United | 5–1 | Portsmouth | Peterborough | 
| 19:45 GMT | Taylor  15' Clarke-Harris  29' Kent  45+1' Dembélé  52' Hamilton  87' | Harrison  90+2' | Stadium: London Road Stadium Attendance: 0 Referee: Robert Lewis | 
Quarter-finals
| 2 February 2021 | Milton Keynes Dons | 0–3 | Sunderland | Milton Keynes | 
| 18:30 GMT | Report | Lewington  12' (o.g.) McGeady  76' Wyke  82' | Stadium: Stadium MK Attendance: 0 Referee: Thomas Bramall | 
| 2 February 2021 | Tranmere Rovers | 2–1 | Peterborough United | Birkenhead | 
| 19:00 GMT | Lloyd  38' Lewis  82' | Clarke-Harris  90+1' (pen.) | Stadium: Prenton Park Attendance: 0 | 
| 2 February 2021 | Oxford United | 3–1 | AFC Wimbledon | Oxford | 
| 19:00 GMT | Winnall  13', 29' Shodipo  52' | Chislett  78' | Stadium: Kassam Stadium Attendance: 0 | 
| 2 February 2021 | Hull City | 1–1 (3–4 p) | Lincoln City | Kingston upon Hull | 
| 19:45 GMT | Docherty  60' | Anderson  7' | Stadium: KCOM Stadium Attendance: 0 | |
| Penalties | ||||
| Smallwood  Scott  Chadwick  Lewis-Potter  Elder  Flores  | Jones  Montsma  Anderson  Scully  Grant  Johnson  | |||
Semi-finals
| 16 February 2021 | Oxford United | 0–2 | Tranmere Rovers | Oxford | 
| 18:00 GMT | Report | Stadium: Kassam Stadium Attendance: 0 Referee: Craig Hicks | 
| 17 February 2021 | Sunderland | 1–1 (5–3 p) | Lincoln City | Sunderland | 
| 18:00 GMT | 
 | Report | 
 | Stadium: Stadium of Light Attendance: 0 Referee: Ben Toner | 
| Penalties | ||||
| Power  O'Nien  Maguire  McGeady  Leadbitter  | Scully  McGrandles  Howarth  Johnson  | |||
Final
| Sunderland | 1–0 | Tranmere Rovers | 
|---|---|---|
| 
 | Report | 
References
- ^ "About The Competition". EFL.com. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
- ^ The Bolton News: "Bolton Wanderers boss Ian Evatt plans changes for Crewe EFL Trophy clash"
- ^ "EFL Trophy explained". Premier League. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
- ^ "Fans return to competitive football as Cambridge beat Fulham Under-21s". Yahoo News. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.