2021–22 EFL Trophy

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EFL Trophy 2021–22
Region	England
Dates	31 August 2021–3 April 2022
Number of teams	64
Defending champions	Sunderland
Champions	Rotherham United
Runner-up	Sutton United
← 2020–21	2022–23 →

The 2021–22 EFL Trophy, known as the Papa John's Trophy for sponsorship reasons, the 38th season in the history of the competition, is 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 "Academy teams" with Category One status.

Sunderland were the defending champions, but they were knocked out in the Second Round by Oldham Athletic, who were then knocked out in the third round by Wigan Athletic.

Participating clubs

• 48 clubs from League One and League Two.
• 16 invited Category One Academy teams.

	League One	League Two	Academies
Clubs	Accrington Stanley AFC Wimbledon Bolton Wanderers Burton Albion Cambridge United Charlton Athletic Cheltenham Town Doncaster Rovers Fleetwood Town Gillingham Ipswich Town Lincoln City Milton Keynes Dons Morecambe Oxford United Plymouth Argyle Portsmouth Rochdale Rotherham United Sheffield Wednesday Shrewsbury Town Sunderland Wigan Athletic Wycombe Wanderers	Barrow Bradford City Bristol Rovers Carlisle United Colchester United Crawley Town Exeter City Forest Green Rovers Harrogate Town Hartlepool United Leyton Orient Mansfield Town Newport County Northampton Town Oldham Athletic Port Vale Rochdale Salford City Scunthorpe United Stevenage Sutton United Swindon Town Tranmere Rovers Walsall	Arsenal Aston Villa Brighton & Hove Albion Chelsea Crystal Palace Everton Leeds United Leicester City Liverpool Manchester City Manchester United Newcastle United Southampton Tottenham Hotspur West Ham United Wolverhampton Wanderers
Total	24	24	16

Eligibility criteria for players

For EFL clubs

• 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.
• Academy teams were kept apart from Round 2 to the semi-finals.

Group stage

Northern Section

Group A

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L2	Carlisle United	3	2	1	0	0	7	3	+4	8	Advance to Round 2
2	L2	Hartlepool United	3	1	1	1	0	6	5	+1	6
3	ACA	Everton U21	3	1	0	0	2	1	3	-2	3
4	L1	Morecambe	3	0	0	1	2	2	5	-3	1

Group B

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1	Tranmere Rovers	3	3	0	0	0	9	3	+6	9	Advance to Round 2
2	L1	Oldham Athletic	3	1	0	0	2	5	6	-1	3
3	L2	Salford City	3	1	0	0	2	5	6	-1	3
4	ACA	Leeds United U21	3	1	0	0	2	7	11	-4	3

Group C

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1	Crewe Alexandra	3	3	0	0	0	6	0	+6	9	Advance to Round 2
2	L1	Wigan Athletic	3	1	0	1	1	2	2	0	4
3	L1	Shrewsbury Town	3	1	0	0	2	3	4	-1	3
4	ACA	Wolverhampton U21	3	0	1	0	2	1	6	-5	2

Group D

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	Advance to Round 2
2	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
3	L2		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
4	ACA		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0

Group E

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	Advance to Round 2
2	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
3	L2		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
4	ACA		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0

Group F

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	Advance to Round 2
2	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
3	L2		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
4	ACA		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0

Group G

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	Advance to Round 2
2	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
3	L2		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
4	ACA		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0

Group H

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	Advance to Round 2
2	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
3	L2		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
4	ACA		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0

Southern Section

Group A

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	Advance to Round 2
2	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
3	L2		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
4	ACA		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0

Group B

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	Advance to Round 2
2	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
3	L2		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
4	ACA		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0

Group C

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	Advance to Round 2
2	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
3	L2		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
4	ACA		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0

Group D

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	Advance to Round 2
2	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
3	L2		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
4	ACA		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0

Group E

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	Advance to Round 2
2	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
3	L2		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
4	ACA		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0

Group F

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	Advance to Round 2
2	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
3	L2		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
4	ACA		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0

Group G

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	Advance to Round 2
2	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
3	L2		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
4	ACA		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0

Group H

Pos	Lge	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0	Advance to Round 2
2	L1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
3	L2		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
4	ACA		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0

Round 2

The draw for the Second Round took place on Saturday 13 November 2021.

Northern section

30 November 2021	Bolton Wanderers	1–0	Fleetwood Town	Horwich
19:00 GMT	Lee  34'			Stadium: University of Bolton Stadium

30 November 2021	Carlisle United	1–1 (4–3 pen)	Lincoln City	Carlisle
19:00 GMT	Armer  69'		Maguire  45'	Stadium: Brunton Park
		Penalties
	*Mellish Armer Whelan Young Charters		*Maguire Fiorini Bishop McGrandles Montsma

30 November 2021	Rotherham United	1–1 (5–3 pen)	Port Vale	Rotherham
19:00 GMT	Smith  56'		Amoo  87'	Stadium: New York Stadium
		Penalties
	*Smith Sadlier Ferguson Ladapo Mattock		*Conlon Walker Rodney Amoo

30 November 2021	Accrington Stanley	1–1 (4–5 pen)	Wigan Athletic	Accrington
19:45 GMT	Pell  18'		Humphrys  53'	Stadium: Crown Ground
		Penalties
	*Savin Bishop Pell Sykes Hamilton		*Jones Massey Bayliss Watts Kerr

1 December 2021	Sheffield Wednesday	0–3	Hartlepool United	Sheffield
19:00 GMT			Shelton  11' Brown  14' (o.g.) Goodwin  59'	Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium

1 December 2021	Sunderland	0–1	Oldham Athletic	Sunderland
19:00 GMT			Vaughan  53'	Stadium: Stadium of Light

1 December 2021	Crewe Alexandra	2–0	Doncaster Rovers	Crewe
19:45 GMT	Knight  33' Finney  72'			Stadium: Gresty Road

21 December 2021	Tranmere Rovers	1–2	Harrogate Town	Birkenhead
19:00 GMT	Finney  11'		Muldoon  53' Pattison  71'	Stadium: Prenton Park

Southern section

30 November 2021	Cambridge United	2–0	Walsall	Cambridge
19:00 GMT	Smith  18' (pen.) Tracey  80'			Stadium: Abbey Stadium

30 November 2021	Charlton Athletic	2–1	Aston Villa U21	London
19:00 GMT	Burstow  15' Stockley  43' (pen.)		Thorndike  40'	Stadium: The Valley

30 November 2021	Forest Green Rovers	1–1 (1–4 pen)	Chelsea U21	Nailsworth
19:00 GMT	March  64'		Uwakwe  65'	Stadium: The New Lawn
		Penalties
	Stevens Bunker March		Baker Nunn Mbuyamba Hall

30 November 2021	Leyton Orient	0–0 (4–5 pen)	Milton Keynes Dons	Leyton, London
19:00 GMT				Stadium: Brisbane Road
		Penalties
	Sotiriou James Smith Archibald Happe		Eisa Boateng Martin Darling Baldwin

30 November 2021	Sutton United	0–0 (4–3 pen)	Stevenage	Sutton, London
19:45 GMT				Stadium: Gander Green Lane
		Penalties
	Eastmond Davis Milsom Korboa Olaofe Goodliffe		Norris Reeves Reid List James-Wildin Osborne

30 November 2021	Swindon Town	1–2	Colchester United	Swindon
19:45 GMT	Crichlow-Noble  45+1'		Chambers  6', 11'	Stadium: County Ground

1 December 2021	Ipswich Town	2–2 (3–4 pen)	Arsenal U21	Ipswich
19:45 GMT	Jackson  31', 43'		Vincent-Young  68' (o.g.) Balogun  71'	Stadium: Portman Road
		Penalties
	Evans Chaplin Celina Pigott Jackson		Balogun Salah-Eddine Rekik Biereth Hutchinson

7 January 2022	Exeter City	v	Portsmouth	Exeter
19:30 GMT				Stadium: St James Park

Round 3

The draw for the Third Round was made on Saturday 4 December 2021.

Northern section

4 January 2022	Crewe Alexandra	2–4	Rotherham United	Crewe, Cheshire
19:00 GMT	Mandron  11' Robertson  71'	Report	Sadlier  41' Smith  57' Kayode  82' Ladapo  90+4'	Stadium: Gresty Road Attendance: 771 Referee: Rebecca Welch

4 January 2022	Harrogate Town	1–0	Carlisle United	Harrogate, North Yorkshire
19:00 GMT	Armstrong  7'	Report		Stadium: Wetherby Road Attendance: 928 Referee: David Rock

4 January 2022	Hartlepool United	1–0	Bolton Wanderers	Hartlepool, County Durham
19:00 GMT	Daly  84'	Report		Stadium: The Suit Direct Stadium Attendance: 2,529 Referee: Anthony Backhouse

4 January 2022	Oldham Athletic	0–6	Wigan Athletic	Oldham, Greater Manchester
19:00 GMT		Report	Naylor  28' Keane  34' Power  36' Massey  47' Edwards  64', 67'	Stadium: Boundary Park Attendance: 1,831 Referee: Ross Joyce

Southern section

4 January 2022	Charlton Athletic	1–0	MK Dons	Charlton, London
19:00 GMT	Leko  90+1'	Report		Stadium: The Valley Attendance: 1,653 Referee: Lee Swabey

4 January 2022	Sutton United	2–1	Colchester United	Sutton, London
19:45 GMT	Turner  7' (o.g.) Wilson  52'		Sears  45'	Stadium: Borough Sports Ground Attendance: 977

11 January 2022	Arsenal U21	4–1	Chelsea U21	Holloway, London
19:45 GMT	Olayinka  10' Biereth  42' Hutchinson  61' Flores  67'	Report	Wareham  38'	Stadium: Emirates Stadium

11 January 2022	Cambridge United	2–1	Exeter City or Portsmouth	Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
19:00 GMT	Knibbs  50', 59'	Report	Jacobs  76'	Stadium: Abbey Stadium Attendance: 1,308

Quarter-finals

The draw for the quarter-final stage took place live on Talksport on 6 January 2022 with games taking place during the week commencing 24 January. From this stage onwards, the competition is no longer split between a northern section and a southern section.

25 January 2022 (2022-01-25)	Hartlepool United	2–2 (5–4 pen)	Charlton Athletic	Hartlepool
19:00 GMT	Grey  7' Molyneux  73'	Report	Burstow  17' Gilbey  32'	Stadium: The Suit Direct Stadium Attendance: 3,615 Referee: Samuel Barrott
		Penalties
	Cullen Crawford Shelton Molyneux Sterry		Washington Gilbey Clare Lee Aneke

25 January 2022	Rotherham United	1–1 (7–6 pen)	Cambridge United	Rotherham
19:00 GMT	Harding  9'	Report	Digby  40'	Stadium: New York Stadium Attendance: 2,239 Referee: Martin Coy
		Penalties
	Ferguson Ladapo Miller Wiles Mattock Lindsay Ihiekwe		Smith Dunk Brophy Williams Knibbs Mitov May

25 January 2022	Wigan Athletic	1–0	Arsenal U21	Wigan
19:00 GMT	Baningime  83'	Report		Stadium: DW Stadium Attendance: 3,647 Referee: Ben Toner

25 January 2022 (2022-01-25)	Sutton United	1–0	Harrogate Town	Sutton, London
19:45 GMT	Eastmond  80'	Report		Stadium: Borough Sports Ground Attendance: 1,499 Referee: Christopher Pollard

Semi-finals

The draw for the semi-final stage took place live on Sky Sports on 29 January 2022 with games taking place during the week commencing 6 March.

8 March 2022	Wigan Athletic	1–1 (6–7 pen)	Sutton United	Wigan
19.45 GMT	McClean  39'	Report	Randall  29'	Stadium: DW Stadium Attendance: 6,547 Referee: James Bell
		Penalties
	Power Shinnie Keane McClean Magennis Edwards McGrath Darikwa		Eastmond Beautyman Milsom Goodliffe Bennett Boldewijn Bouzanis John

9 March 2022	Hartlepool United	2–2 (4–5 pen)	Rotherham United	Hartlepool
19.45 GMT	Grey  29' Molyneux  55'	Report	Smith  50', 63'	Stadium: Victoria Park Attendance: 7,542 Referee: Bobby Madley
		Penalties
	Featherstone Sterry Shelton Molyneux Bogle Crawford		Smith Ferguson Barlaser Wiles MacDonald Miller

Final

Main article:2022 EFL Trophy Final

3 April 2022 15:00	Rotherham United	4–2 (a.e.t.)	Sutton United	Wembley Stadium Attendance: 30,688 Referee: Seb Stockbridge
	Wiles  42' Osei-Tutu  90+6' Ogbene  96' Michael Ihiekwe	Report	Wilson  30' Eastmond  48'

External links

• Official website