Academy sides learn Premier League Cup opponents

Our Academy sides have learned their opponents for the various editions of the 2026/27 Premier League Cup.

We'll feature in three editions of this year's competition, with our under-18s, under-17s and under-16s sides all competing for the trophy in their respective age categories.

Our last taste of silverware in the competition came in 2025, when our under-16s beat Chelsea 3-1 in the final at Kingsmeadow to lift the title.

Next week, our under-18s will travel to Blackburn Rovers for their opening game in this season's competition, before Birmingham City and Sunderland come to north London in October and November respectively.

The under-16s competition mirrors the under-18s fixtures, meaning their fixtures will be played on the same days against the same teams. Our under-18s will play their home matches at the Sobha Realty Training Centre, while the under-16s kick-off at the same time at Hale End.

In both the under-18s and under-16s competitions, the winners of each of the eight groups progress to the knockout stages, at which point the competition becomes a traditional knockout bracket down to the final.

Meanwhile, our under-17s start their cup campaign with a north London derby at home to Tottenham, before travelling to West Brom and Cardiff in their second and third group matches.

The under-17s competition features fewer sides, meaning there is an opportunity for the best second-place sides to join the group winners in the quarter-finals.

PREMIER LEAGUE CUP FIXTURES

U18s/U16s

Blackburn Rovers v Arsenal Tuesday, August 25 (1pm)

Arsenal v Birmingham City Saturday, October 10 (12pm)

Arsenal v Sunderland Saturday, November 7 (11am)

U17s

Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur Tuesday, September 1 (7pm)

West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal Tuesday, September 15 (2pm)

Cardiff City v Arsenal Tuesday, October 20 (6pm)