Brentford’s Academy has been awarded Category One status by the Premier League, the highest level under the Elite Player Performance Plan.

From 2026/27, the club will compete in Premier League 2 and the Under-18s Premier League.

The Bees have achieved this just four years after reopening their academy in 2022. In that time, they have risen through the ranks, going from Category Four to the top tier, Category One.

What Category One Status Means for Brentford’s Academy

Category One status brings increased opportunity and access to a range of games programmes for teams from Under-9s upwards.

This marks a major milestone in the club’s rapid structural rise, completing the fastest progression through the Elite Player Performance Plan since its introduction ahead of the 2012/13 season.

"This is an important milestone for the Academy and a significant step for the club."

David Rainford

As recently as June 2024, the club was Category Four.

In the two years since, the rise to the top tier underlines the broader evolution of the club under Matthew Benham’s ownership and how he has reshaped the club entirely through his data-driven approach.

David Rainford, Brentford Academy director, said: "This is an important milestone for the Academy and a significant step for the club. It reflects the collective commitment, alignment, and long-term investment from senior leadership, staff, and departments across both the club and the Academy."

How Brentford’s B Team Helped Shape Their Development Pathway

This demonstrates how rapidly their academy has grown. Brentford famously abandoned its traditional academy model in 2016.

The B team system was intended to attract older academy releases and late developers rather than competing for elite young talent in a saturated London market.

Despite being awarded Category One status, Brentford will continue to operate its B team, integrating it into the Under-21s structure.

The B team won the 2025/26 Professional Development League title.

This unique model, which replaced the club’s academy, has provided a direct pathway to first-team football for players between the ages of 17-21.

Since its launch, the pathway has produced over 500 first-team appearances.

Two of pathway’s standout graduates are Mads Roerslev and Yehor Yarmolyuk, who have each made 94 Premier League appearances.  

Brentford Expand Women’s Pathway With New Girls’ Academy

As a result of being awarded Category One, Brentford's Women's programme has been reviewed, and the club has announced the launch of a new Girls' Academy.

The club will establish a structured academy system centred on a Junior Premier League games programme.

This is intended to strengthen the pathway from youth to the first team in the ever-evolving Women's game.

Players will not be required to pay, which will help to remove barriers that prevent young, talented girls from developing and playing.

This reflects the club's long-term goals, and the new structure is based on increasing access, raising standards, and establishing a long-term development strategy through the women's football pyramid.

Collectively, the Category One status means that Brentford’s development pathways across their men's, women's, and youth teams are strengthened.

This matches the ambitions of the established Premier League side, who are pushing to secure elusive European qualification.