The 2023/24 Premier League 2 season isn't far away, and there have been changes to the league's format for the upcoming campaign.
Last season, PL2 was comprised of two different leagues. The Canaries played in Division 2 of the competition, joining 10 other teams, with 14 teams in Division 1. This format included relegation and promotion.
However, that has all changed this season. For the 2023/24 season, there will be only one division made up of clubs with Category One Academies.
The teams will be divided into five pots based on performances over the past three seasons. Fixtures will be determined by a draw made according to clubs’ positions in the five seeded pots.
There will be 20 matchweeks, with each team playing 20 regular-season matches throughout the season.
Teams will play each club in their own seeding pot once, as well as three to five teams in all other pots either home or away.
Results will generate a table ranking the 26 teams. After the regular season of 20 matchweeks has completed, the top 16 teams will qualify for a single elimination playoff.
Teams will be drawn against each other based on their league positions, for example the team finishing first facing the team that finished 16th. These will be one-off elimination matches with the higher-seeded team at home.
In addition, the teams finishing the regular season in the top 12 will be invited to take part in the next season’s Premier League International Cup competition.
The Category One teams playing in the PL2 this season are:
- Arsenal
- Aston Villa
- Blackburn Rovers
- Brighton & Hove Albion
- Chelsea
- Crystal Palace
- Derby County
- Everton
- Fulham
- Leeds United
- Leicester City
- Liverpool
- Manchester City
- Manchester United
- Middlesbrough
- Newcastle United
- Norwich City
- Nottingham Forest
- Southampton
- Stoke City
- Sunderland
- Tottenham Hotspur
- West Bromwich Albion
- West Ham United
- Wolverhampton Wanderers
Fixtures are set to be announced in the week commencing 31 July.