Carlisle United, Yeovil Town and Altrincham all opt out of this season’s National League Cup

Carlisle United, Yeovil Town, and Altrincham have all recently confirmed they will not take part in the second edition of the National League Cup since its revival last year.

The relaunched competition, introduced last season, brings together clubs from all three Enterprise divisions alongside selected Premier League U21 sides.

Leeds United’s youngsters claimed the inaugural title after Sutton United reached the final.

With the 2025/26 season approaching, Carlisle, Yeovil and Altrincham have all announced they will not be taking part in this year’s edition.

Right choice

The Cumbrians issued a statement confirming their position on Tuesday: “Carlisle United Football Club can confirm they will not take part in the National League Cup.

“After consulting internally with the football department, 1921 Directors and representatives from the Carlisle United Supporters Trust, the club has decided not to enter this season’s National League Cup.”

Chief Executive Nigel Clibbens expanded on the reasoning behind the decision.

He said: “The board held discussions internally and reached the view that given the nature of the competition and previous experience in the EFL trophy, the right choice was not to enter.”

Priorities

Yeovil echoed that position in a statement released on Wednesday: “With the new campaign approaching, our focus is firmly on the league and other key competitions.

“After reviewing our priorities, we feel it is in the best interests of the club to concentrate fully on our primary objectives for the season ahead.

“We are aware that the National League Cup has not been a priority for many clubs in recent seasons, and we know our supporters are fully focused – like us – on achieving success where it matters most.

“As always, we are grateful for your continued backing and look forward to seeing you throughout the season.”

The Robins also made a statement on the same day, confirming that they “will not be participating”.

Ultimately, the decisions taken by the respective clubs reflect a wider trend within the pyramid.

Increasingly, clubs are choosing to prioritise their league campaigns over midweek cup competitions that offer limited return and add further strain to already congested schedules.

READ MORE: 2025/26 Enterprise National League fixtures released – Morecambe and Carlisle United begin away