The EFL Trophy prize money for the winners is £100,000, which is not a life-changing pot but still a proper boost for a lower-league club’s accounts.
Luton Town are the current champions after beating Stockport County 3-1 in the 2026 final, and William Hill has football betting markets across all the major outcomes for fans who want to get involved with the 2026/27 competition.
How much EFL Trophy prize money do teams get?
The prize money for winning the EFL Trophy is £100,000. The competition has also paid out smaller sums in recent seasons for participation, wins, and draws. Clubs receive £20,000 for taking part, £10,000 per group-stage victory, and £5,000 for a draw in the group stage.
Knockout rounds then step up the rewards as clubs move closer to Wembley. A win in the round of 32 pays £20,000, followed by £40,000 in the round of 16, £50,000 for quarter-finals wins, and £50,000 again for the runners-up.
That structure matters because the EFL Trophy is built to give League One and League Two clubs a realistic incentive to keep taking the tournament seriously, even when league priorities are pulling them in different directions.
The bigger attraction is not just the cash. A place in the final means a day at Wembley, and the competition has a habit of giving smaller clubs a chance to build a proper story around the run. That is why the prize pot sits alongside the prestige, rather than replacing it.
How do you bet on the EFL Trophy?
EFL Trophy betting is usually straightforward because the competition offers plenty of match and outright options. Bettors can look at outright winner markets, individual match result markets, goals markets and, where available, group qualification angles.
The safest way to approach EFL Trophy odds is to check the line-ups before betting, especially in group-stage matches where clubs often rotate heavily. Academy teams also create unusual market shapes because they can be unpredictable on the night, particularly away from home.
Who are the favourites to win the 2026/27 EFL Trophy?
The early 2026/27 EFL Trophy odds point towards clubs with the best blend of squad depth, experience, and a clean route through the regionalised format. As it stands, Leicester City are the joint-favourites to win the EFL Trophy. At 8/1, the Foxes are on par with Sheffield Wednesday for a shot at silverware in 2026/27.
Peterborough United also stand out straight away because they are one of the competition’s most successful modern sides and are in strong position in the current group stage, while Luton Town also demand respect as the reigning champions.
Other contenders usually emerge from the same pool of strong League One clubs that can handle a busy fixture calendar without losing too much quality. The format rewards consistency across a short group stage before turning into knockout football.
The trick with this competition is that the favourites can change a lot from year to year. Promotions and relegations constantly reshape the bracket, and a club that looks well set one season may be pushed out of contention the next by a change in division.
Which teams have won the EFL Trophy the most?
Peterborough United and Bristol City are tied at the top with three EFL Trophy wins each. Peterborough lifted the trophy in 2013/14, 2023/24, and 2024/25, while Bristol City won in 1985/86, 2002/03 and 2014/15.
A further 11 clubs sit on two titles apiece, which underlines how spread out the honours list is in a competition that has changed shape many times. That churn is one reason the EFL Trophy winners list looks less settled than some older cups, with success often tied to where a club is in the football pyramid at a given moment.
FAQs
When is the 2026/27 EFL Trophy final?
The date of the EFL Trophy final is Sunday, 11 April 2027, with Wembley Stadium again staging the showpiece.
Who are the current EFL Trophy champions?
Luton Town are the current EFL Trophy champions after beating Stockport County 3-1 in the 2026 final.
If you are betting on the competition, keep the basics front and centre. Set a budget, treat gambling as entertainment, and use Safer Gambling tools if you need them.
For support and advice, www.begambleaware.org is the right place to start, and no bet should ever be placed as a way to solve money problems.
