West Ham United F.C. Under-21s and Academy
| Full name | West Ham United Football Club (Under-21s) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | The Irons The Hammers The Academy of Football | |||
| Short name | WHU U21s | |||
| Ground | Rush Green Stadium, Romford, London, England | |||
| Capacity | 6,078 | |||
| Owner(s) | David Sullivan (38.8%) Daniel Křetínský (27%) Vanessa Gold (25.1%) J. Albert "Tripp" Smith (8%) Other Investors (1.1%) | |||
| Manager | Greg Lincoln (interim) | |||
| League | Premier League 2 | |||
| 2024–25 | Premier League 2, 4th of 26 | |||
| Website | whufc.com/en/teams/under-21 | |||
|
| ||||
The Academy of West Ham United F.C. is historically one of the most productive football academies in British football. This success has resulted in its nickname the Academy of Football.
The introduction of the FA's new academy system in 1998 has placed even more emphasis on the development of young homegrown players, and today the youth system at West Ham is more important than it has ever been. With the influx of many foreign players in the Premier League during modern times, West Ham United has been regarded as one of the few remaining clubs in the top flight to continue producing and playing homegrown English players.
The Under-21 team is the most senior of West Ham's youth squads. The Under-21 team is effectively the club's second-string side but is limited to five outfield players and one goalkeeper over the age of 21 per game following the introduction of new regulations from the 2022–23 season. They play in Premier League 2 and also compete in the Vertu Trophy.