# 2023–24 EFL Trophy

The 2023–24 EFL Trophy, known as the Bristol Street Motors Trophy for sponsorship reasons, was the 43rd season in the history of the competition, and was a knock-out tournament for clubs in EFL League One and League Two, the third and fourth tiers of the English football league system, as well as the "Academy teams" of 15 Premier League and one Championship club with Category One status. For the first time since 1984, the competition lacked a sponsor. Following the expiration of Papa Johns's sponsorship contract, the EFL attempted to find new sponsor but were unable to do so. On 2 November 2023, EFL announced they had reached a sponsorship agreement with car dealership brand Bristol Street Motors and the tournament's name was changed to reflect that from that point.
The defending champions were Bolton Wanderers who defeated Plymouth Argyle 4–0 in the previous season's final, but they were knocked out in the quarter-finals on penalties by Blackpool.

## Participating clubs

* 48 clubs from League One and League Two.
* 16 invited Category One Academy teams.
| | League One | League Two | Academies |
| Clubs | Barnsley Blackpool Bolton Wanderers Bristol Rovers Burton Albion Cambridge United Carlisle United Charlton Athletic Cheltenham Town Derby County Exeter City Fleetwood Town Leyton Orient Lincoln City Northampton Town Oxford United Peterborough United Port Vale Portsmouth Reading Shrewsbury Town Stevenage Wigan Athletic Wycombe Wanderers | Accrington Stanley AFC Wimbledon Barrow Bradford City Colchester United Crawley Town Crewe Alexandra Doncaster Rovers Forest Green Rovers Gillingham Grimsby Town Harrogate Town Mansfield Town Milton Keynes Dons Morecambe Newport County Notts County Salford City Stockport County Sutton United Swindon Town Tranmere Rovers Walsall Wrexham | Arsenal Aston Villa Brighton & Hove Albion Chelsea Crystal Palace Everton Fulham Leicester City Liverpool Manchester City Manchester United Newcastle United Nottingham Forest 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 is in the top 10 players at the club who has made the most starting appearances in league and domestic cup competitions this season.
** Any player with forty or more first-team starting appearances in their career, including International matches.
** Any player on loan from a Premier League club or any EFL Category One Academy club.
* A club can play any eligible goalkeeper in the competition.
* Any player out on a long loan term at a National League, National League North, or National League South team can play as long as the loaning team agree to allow the player to return for the match.

### For invited teams

* Minimum of six players in the starting line-up who are aged under 21 on 30 June 2023.
* Maximum of two players on the team sheet who are aged over 21 and have also made forty or more senior appearances.

## Competition format
### Group stage

* Sixteen groups of four teams will be organised on a regionalised basis.
* All groups will include one invited club.
* All clubs will play each other once, either home or away (academy sides will play all group matches away from home).
* Clubs will be 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 will be held with the winning team earning an additional point.
* Clubs expelled from the EFL will be knocked out of the tournament automatically.
* The top two teams in each group will progress to the knockout stage.

### Knockout stage

* Rounds 2 and 3 of the competition will be drawn on a regionalised basis.
* In Round 2, the group winners will be seeded and the group runners-up will be unseeded in the draw.
* In Round 2, teams who played in the same group as each other in the group stage will be kept apart.

## Group stage

The group stage draw was finalised on 22 June 2023.

### Northern section
#### Group A

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L1 | Blackpool | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | +6 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | ACA | Liverpool U21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 3 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | L2 | Morecambe | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 3 | |
| 4 | L2 | Barrow | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 3 | |

#### Group B

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L2 | Wrexham | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | L1 | Port Vale | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | L2 | Crewe Alexandra | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 3 | |
| 4 | ACA | Newcastle United U21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 1 | |

#### Group C

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L2 | Accrington Stanley | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | ACA | Nottingham Forest U21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | L1 | Carlisle United | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | L2 | Harrogate Town | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 3 | |

#### Group D

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L1 | Wigan Athletic | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | +6 | 7 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | L1 | Fleetwood Town | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | +6 | 7 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | ACA | Leicester City U21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 11 | −9 | 3 | |
| 4 | L2 | Tranmere Rovers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | −3 | 1 | |

#### Group E

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L1 | Bolton Wanderers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | +12 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | L2 | Stockport County | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | L2 | Salford City | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 3 | |
| 4 | ACA | Manchester United U21 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 13 | −8 | 2 | |

#### Group F

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L2 | Bradford City | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | +8 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | L1 | Barnsley | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | ACA | Manchester City U21 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | −5 | 2 | |
| 4 | L2 | Grimsby Town | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 1 | |

#### Group G

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L1 | Derby County | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | L1 | Lincoln City | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | ACA | Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | −4 | 3 | |
| 4 | L2 | Notts County | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 0 | |

#### Group H

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L2 | Doncaster Rovers | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | L1 | Burton Albion | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | L2 | Mansfield Town | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | ACA | Everton U21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 3 | |

### Southern section
#### Group A

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L2 | Forest Green Rovers | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | ACA | Brighton & Hove Albion U21 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | L1 | Shrewsbury Town | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 5 | |
| 4 | L2 | Walsall | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 1 | |

#### Group B

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L2 | Crawley Town | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 7 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | L1 | Charlton Athletic | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | L2 | Sutton United | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 3 | |
| 4 | ACA | Aston Villa U21 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 9 | −3 | 2 | |

#### Group C

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L1 | Wycombe Wanderers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | L2 | AFC Wimbledon | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 5 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | L1 | Stevenage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 4 | |
| 4 | ACA | Crystal Palace U21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | −6 | 0 | |

#### Group D

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L1 | Peterborough United | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | L2 | Colchester United | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | ACA | Tottenham Hotspur U21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | |
| 4 | L1 | Cambridge United | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | |

#### Group E

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L1 | Portsmouth | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 5 | +5 | 8 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | ACA | Fulham U21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 5 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | L2 | Gillingham | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | −4 | 3 | |
| 4 | L1 | Leyton Orient | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 2 | |

#### Group F

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L2 | Milton Keynes Dons | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | L1 | Oxford United | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | ACA | Chelsea U21 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 11 | −8 | 2 | |
| 4 | L1 | Northampton Town | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 1 | |

#### Group G

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | L1 | Reading | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | +17 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | ACA | Arsenal U21 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 7 | +2 | 5 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | L1 | Exeter City | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 14 | −13 | 3 | |
| 4 | L2 | Swindon Town | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | −6 | 1 | |

#### Group H

| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | ACA | West Ham United U21 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | L1 | Bristol Rovers | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 6 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 3 | L2 | Newport County | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |
| 4 | L1 | Cheltenham Town | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 10 | −9 | 0 | |

## Round of 32

The draw for the Round of 32 was made on Friday 24 November 2023, with ties scheduled to take place on the week commencing 4 December.

### Southern section
## Round of 16

The draw was made on Friday 8 December 2023, with ties scheduled to take place on the week commencing 8 January 2024.

### Southern section
## Quarter-finals

The draw was made on Friday 12 January 2024 with ties scheduled to take place on the week commencing 29 January 2024.

### Southern section
## Semi-finals

The draw was made on Friday 2 February 2024 with ties scheduled taking place in the week commencing 19 February 2024. The draw was not regionalised. Both semi-final games were broadcast on Sky Sports.