From 12-19 September, the EFL and its Clubs will be celebrating Youth Development Week to recognise the unbelievable success its Club Academies have in producing young players who go on to star for Club and Country.

From producing players for the First Team and providing opportunities for the best young talent on loan from the Premier League, to helping all levels of the England and Wales national teams to prosper, EFL Clubs play a crucial role in developing the next generation of players for club and country.

The EFL’s Youth Development team is made up of a network of dedicated Youth Development Managers, who work closely with all our Club Academies to ensure we are continuing to provide players with the best opportunities to achieve their full potential.

This year, Youth Development Week has come earlier to set the stage for the whole season as we look to share stories of success across the next nine months and beyond.

Youth Development in numbers

Last season, Academy-developed players across the League made 265 professional debuts and played more than 244,000 minutes.

Sunderland and Charlton Athletic both celebrated Sky Bet Play-Off triumphs with squads firmly rooted in their academies.

Sunderland consistently fielded an average of three Academy graduates for the full 90 minutes of every League game, while Charlton averaged two, exemplifying the EFL pathway that sees more than 50% of Academy graduates secure professional contracts or extended scholarships each season.

EFL launches Youth Development Week

EFL launches Youth Development Week