City to compete in 2025/26 Premier League International Cup | OneFootball

City’s Elite Development Squad will take part in the Premier League International Cup for the first time since 2015/16.

Ahead of the confirmation of City’s fixtures for the competition, here is everything you need to know about the PL International Cup…

FORMAT

The competition, which debuted in 2014/15, allows English Under-21 teams to gain valuable experience from playing top European youth teams.

Now entering its 11th season, the format sees the top 16 finishers in the Premier League 2 take on 16 international clubs who are invited to compete.

The group stage consists of four groups with eight teams: four PL2 and four international.

WATCH: Watch: How City won the Premier League 2

Each club will play four group-stage games with all the fixtures to be between the PL2 clubs and the international teams.

This means City will welcome only international teams to the Joie Stadium during the group stage.

The top two outfits from each group will advance to the knockout stage, starting with the quarter-finals, then semi-final and final.

In the knockouts, if a winner cannot be decided in 90 minutes, extra-time and a penalty shootout may be required.

The competition also allows three overage outfield players and one overage goalkeeper on the team sheet.

OUR HISTORY IN THE COMPETITION

In the competition’s debut in 2014/15, City won the PL International Cup after a 1-0 win over Porto, courtesy of Kelechi Iheanacho’s strike, in the final.

En route to the final, City beat Benfica 3-1, FC Shalke 5-1 and lost to Leicester in the group stage, to progress to the knockouts.

City beat Celtic 5-3 in a penalty shootout after a stalemate 120 minutes then saw us face Leicester again in the semi-final. But a 3-2 win over the Foxes helped us on our way to becoming the first team to win the PL International Cup.

The following season, City exited the competition in the group stage following a draw with Borussia Monchengladbach II and defeats to Atletic Club Bilbao B and Sunderland.

The addition of the PL International Cup to City’s fixtures means Ben Wilkinson’s side will compete in the Premier League 2, UEFA Youth League, EFL Trophy and Premier League International Cup this season.

City will fight to make history as we look to become the first English outfit to win the competition twice.

Keep across mancity.com and the Official Man City App for updates on our fixtures in the PL International Cup as well as information on tickets.

PAST WINNERS

2024/25 Nottingham Forest2023/24 Crystal Palace2022/23 PSV Jong2020/21 N/A**2019/20 N/A*2018/19 Bayern Munich2017/18 Porto B2016/17 Porto B2015/16 Villarreal B2014/15 Manchester City*Competition did not finish due to curtailment of season**Competition didn't take place in 2020/21