What do Palace U21s need to secure PL2 play-offs?

Academy

3 Apr 2026

With two games remaining in Premier League 2 Division One and the current international break providing a natural pause, it is the perfect moment to assess where Crystal Palace U21s stand and what is required to secure a place in the end-of-season play-offs.

A new Premier League 2 format

This season’s revamped Premier League 2 has replaced the previous two-division structure with a single league featuring all 29 Category One academies. Each side plays 20 regular-season fixtures against different opponents, with matchups determined by a draw based on performances over the past three seasons.

At the end of the regular campaign, the top 16 teams progress to the play-offs, which follow a single-elimination format consisting of a round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final. Higher-seeded teams enjoy home advantage, with the top eight securing a home tie.

A top-16 finish also guarantees qualification for next season’s Premier League International Cup, while teams placed 17th to 24th enter a separate cross-category play-off alongside the leading Category Two sides.

Palace’s Current Position

Darren Powell’s young Eagles currently sit 11th in the table on 28 points, level with Leicester City and Sunderland but with a game in hand over both. Palace are well placed inside the top 16, though mathematical qualification is not yet confirmed.

Upcoming fixtures:

Nottingham Forest U21 (17th) – Tonight (Friday, 3rd April), Nigel Clough Academy, 19:00 GMT
Arsenal U21 (14th) – Monday, 13th April, VBS Community Stadium, 19:00 GMT

Both matches will be streamed LIVE on Palace TV+ – click HERE to find out more and subscribe.

SUBSCRIBE TO PALACE TV+

The teams still in contention

Six teams below Palace remain capable of challenging for a play-off spot. Sunderland, level on 28 points from 19 games but behind Palace on goal difference, can still improve their position.

Arsenal sit on 26 points from 18 games, Tottenham Hotspur have 26 from 17, and Aston Villa have 24 from 16, so all are within striking distance.

Wolves and Stoke City, both on 22 points from 18 games, can also reach 28 points if they win their remaining matches. In contrast, Middlesbrough, with 24 points from 19 games, can no longer catch Palace.

What Palace need to qualify

A point against Nottingham Forest will be enough to mathematically secure a top-16 play-off place, as Wolves and Stoke would then be unable to match 29 points and would be eliminated from contention.

Once Palace reach 29 points, only four teams below them could theoretically overtake, meaning that in the worst-case scenario Palace could drop to 15th, yet would still remain safely inside the top 16.

A win against Forest would not only secure qualification but also strengthen Palace’s chances of a top-eight finish, offering the potential for home advantage in the first round of the play-offs.

Should we suffer defeat, Wolves and Stoke would still have to win both their games and rely on Palace losing by considerable margins...

The play-off picture

Final league positions will determine play-off opponents, with teams matched based on seeding – first faces 16th, second faces 15th, and so on.

At present, Palace’s 11th position would see them travel to face sixth-placed Liverpool. Confidence is likely high after a recent 5–1 victory over the same opposition, demonstrating the young Eagles’ ability to compete with the division’s strongest sides.

Climbing higher in the table could prove significant, offering a more favourable draw and the possibility of home advantage in the early rounds.

Securing a top-16 finish not only extends Palace’s season via the play-offs but also guarantees qualification for next season’s Premier League International Cup.

With two games remaining, progression is firmly within reach, but seeding and finishing position still offer plenty to play for, ensuring that Powell’s side have both safety and ambition to fight for in the final fixtures of the regular season.

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