View of the trophy before the Vertu Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture date: Sunday April 13, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Final. Photo credit should read: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with _(Image: Bradley Collyer)_
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The draw for the 2025/26 Vertu Trophy has been completed, with West Ham Under-21s visiting Reading for a second successive season.
A busy day for all things 2025/26, the Royals' League One fixture list was confirmed earlier this afternoon while the First Round draw for the Carabao Cup is coming up at 4.30pm this afternoon.
Reading will be reacquainted with rivals Swindon Town for the second time in three seasons, while MK Dons makes up the trio of league teams in Group D of the Southern Section.
One of these will be at home and the other away, to be confirmed on Thursday.
The Robins visited Berkshire for the first time in nearly 20 years back in 2023 and were resoundingly beaten 5-0 in front of the largest EFL Trophy crowd of the group phase.
Harvey Knibbs scored his first hattrick in front of more than 6,000 supporters as Ruben Selles' side reached the Last 16, eventually knocked out on penalties to Brighton and Hove Albion Under-21s.
Last season, Reading made it out of the group but lost away to Walsall in the first knockout round, again via a penalty shootout.
A competition usually saved for young players, it is the opportunity to play in a final at Wembley in March, with Birmingham City taking over 50,000 supporters to the capital in their defeat to Peterborough United.