Bayern Munich win the PL International Cup

Competition gives homegrown talent from Category One academies the opportunity to test themselves against top European youth sides

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The Premier League International Cup features 12 of England's best Academy sides against 12 of the top development squads in the rest of Europe.

The competition's goals

The tournament was introduced for the 2014/15 season to give homegrown talent the chance to test themselves against the best young players on the Continent and adapt to the demands and different styles of domestic and European football.

This is something they will have to cope with if they play UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League matches later in their careers.

The competition was expanded from 16 to 24 teams from 2016/17.

Format

Twelve teams from Premier League 2 and 12 equivalent teams from elite European Academies are invited, with the competition split into three groups of eight. 

Each PL2 club will play each of the four international clubs in their group. 

The PL2 teams do not face each other, neither do the international teams play one another in the group stage. 

The top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed teams advance to the quarter-finals.

In the knockout stages, the ties are decided in one-off matches, with extra-time and then penalties required if the match is level after 90 minutes.

All matches are played in England.

Team make-up

Teams competing in the Premier League International Cup will be made up of Under-23 players, aside from a maximum of three outfield players and the goalkeeper. 

Past winners

2022/23 PSV Eindhoven
2020/21
N/A**
2019/20
N/A*
2018/19
Bayern Munich
2017/18
Porto B
2016/17 Porto B
2015/16 Villarreal B
2014/15 Manchester City
*Competition did not finish due to curtailment of season
**Competition didn't take place in 2020/21