The 2024 edition of the Next Generation Cup is set to return to England, with academy teams from England, India and South Africa competing with each other for the title next month.
The tournament, scheduled between August 1 and 4, will be hosted by the Premier League, with three Indian youth sides, participating in it.
The Next Generation Cup run over four match rounds, held at Aston Villa’s Bodymoor Training Ground, with two groups of four clubs playing each other before progressing to the final.
All games will be 11-a-side and will be 50 minutes long, with two 25-minute halves being played in each fixture, with the winner crowned at the Loughborough University Stadium.
Wolverhampton Wanderers had won the last edition of the tournament, beating Stellenbosch FC in the final. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The Indian teams in the Next Gen Cup were chosen through the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL), with the top three – Punjab FC (winner), East Bengal (runner-up), and Muthoot FA (third)– earning qualification.
From the Premier League, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur will be in action while South Africa’s Stellenbosch FC, the previous edition’s runner-up completes the roster.
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The Next Generation Cup 2023 was played in India, where Wolverhampton Wanderers FC beat Stellenbosch FC in the final to lift the trophy.
Several players from the Next Generation Cup, such as Ethan Wheatley, Nathan Fraser and George Earthy, have gone on to play in the Premier League.
“The event serves as a fantastic learning experience for the young players both on and off the pitch, providing them with a platform to interact with one another as well as learn about each other’s cultures,” Neil Saunders, the Premier League’s Director of Football, said.
“It builds on our continued support for the development of the game in India with Reliance Foundation and we hope everyone taking part has an enjoyable and beneficial experience.”
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