The Premier League International Cup (PLIC) is part of the International Programme for the Professional Development Phase, involving the top 16 finishers in Premier League 2 against 16 invited international clubs in a season-long competition that runs alongside the league and domestic commitments that each club have.
The competition is designed to give homegrown talent the chance to test themselves against a range of different European opponents in a range of different settings and allows all participating players and staff to develop themselves to the demands and different styles presented by European opponents.
This is an Under-21 competition with clubs permitted to name three overage outfield players and one overage goalkeeper on their team sheet.
The competition expanded in 2016/17 from 16 to 24 teams and has since expanded to a 32-team competition for the 2024/25 edition.
Competition format
Group stages
The clubs are split into four groups of eight clubs, with four PL2 and four invited international clubs occupying each group. Each club play four group-stage games, with all games to only be played between PL2 and international clubs. The top two clubs from each group will proceed to the knockout stages and all participating PL2 clubs are to host the group-stage matches at either their main stadium or an approved alternative venue.
Knockout stages/End-of-season playoffs
The PLIC then proceeds to the quarter-final rounds contested by the eight clubs that proceeded through the group stages, followed by a semi-final and then a final to determine the champion. The semi-finals and final matches are to be hosted in the host club’s main stadium.
In the knockout stages the matches are one-off matches, with extra-time and then penalties required if the match is level after 90 minutes.
Competition background
The Premier League International Cup was first introduced in the 2014/15 season as part of a strategy to provide Premier League Academies with International experiences and after a brief respite due to COVID, the competition has gone from strength to strength since.
The competition has always looked to provide an on and off pitch development for the participating Clubs, as we look to support them in helping bridge the gap between the Professional Development Phase and First Team environments.
Recent first-team debutants Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Divin Mubama (West Ham United), Luke Harris (Fulham), Lewis Dobbin (Everton), Alfie Gilchrist (Chelsea) and Jarell Quansah (Liverpool) are just a few of the players that have played in the PLIC from a PL2 perspective in recent seasons.
With regards to the invited internationalcClubs, Eliesse Ben Seghir (AS Monaco), Yarek Gasiorowski (Valencia CF), Tygo Land (PSV Eindhoven), Antoni Milambo (Feyenoord Rotterdam), Mahamadou Diawara (Olympique Lyonnais) and Pascal Klemens (Hertha BSC) are just a few of the names who have broken through within their respective countries.
Past winners
2023/24 Crystal Palace
2022/23 PSV Jong
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
