Swansea City Under-23s Premier League 2

Swansea City's next generation of players will this season play in the rebranded Premier League 2.

The league replaces the competition formally known as the Under-21 Premier League where the Swans reached the play-off semi-finals last season.

Premier League 2 is a new competition with a greater focus on a level of play in terms of technicality, physicality and intensity to bring players as close to first-team experience as possible.

The age limit for players eligible to play in the competition has risen from Under-21 to Under-23.

Teams playing in Premier League 2 are still able to field a goalkeeper over the age limit and up to three "over-age" outfield players in every match. 

Format for the league competition will remain the same with 12 teams in Division 1 and 12 in Division 2, with every club playing each other once at home and once away.

In Division 2, the league winners gain automatic promotion to Division 1. Teams ranked second to fifth in Division 2 go into a promotion play-off.

Swansea City Under-23s development squad will kick-off their PL2 season at home to West Brom on Monday, August 15 (7pm) at a venue to be confirmed.

The young Swans, managed by Gary Richards and Cameron Toshack, will then face Wolves away (August 22) before West Ham at home (August 26) next month.

The development squad will also take part in the new format of the EFL Trophy for the 2016-17 season. 

The new-look competition, formerly known as the Football League Trophy, has invited 16 Category One Academy clubs to play in the competition alongside sides from League One and League Two with a final at Wembley up for grabs.

For Swansea City Under-23s full PL2 Division 2 fixture list CLICK HERE.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Derby County, Everton, Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Reading, Southampton, Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur.

Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Brighton & Hove Albion, Fulham, Middlesbrough, Newcastle United, Norwich City, Swansea City, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers.