The Professional Development League season is the tenth campaign of post-EPPP Under-23 football's second tier, designed for those academies with Category 2 status. A total of 17 teams are split regionally into north and south divisions, with each team facing opponents in their own region twice both home and away and opponents in the other region once resulting in 23 games for the North Division, and 24 games for the South Division. The sides finishing in the top two positions in both regions at the end of the season will progress to a knockout stage to determine the overall league champion. Birmingham City are the defending national champions but have since graduated to Category One alongside Nottingham Forest. Bolton Wanderers also left dropping down to Category 3. Peterborough United joined as a Category 2 Academy joining the North Division.