The FA have today announced that the draw for the 2021/22 group stage of the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup is to be broadcast live on talkSPORT 2 this Friday (July 30).
The competition, which begins in October, will be divided into two sections – Northern and Southern – with two groups in the North and three in the South. As has been the case in previous campigns, teams from both the Barclays FA Women's Super League and the FA Women's Championship will take part.
The draw will be broadcast live at 1.15pm.
This season's format is explained by the FA below...
The notable change to this season's draw is that the clubs who have qualified for the UEFA Women’s Champions League (Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal) will enter at the quarter-final stage, dependant on Champions League progress.
Friday’s draw will therefore feature 21 clubs, with nine going into the two groups in the Northern section, and 12 going into three groups in the Southern.
In the Northern section, the first five numbers out of the bag will be placed in Group A. The remaining and last four numbers out of the bag will be placed in Group B.
In the Southern section, the first four numbers out of the bag will be placed in Group C. The next four numbers drawn out of the bag will be placed in Group D. The remaining and final four numbers drawn out of the bag will be placed in Group E.
The first place team in each group will qualify for the quarter-finals, joining those clubs competing in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. If Arsenal and/or Manchester City enter the group stage of the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup, the best runner-up/two best runners-up will progress with the five group winners.
The group stages will run from 13-14 October through to 15-16 December, with the quarter-finals scheduled for 19-20 January, the semi-finals 2-3 February, and the Final on the weekend of 5-6 March.
Last season saw Villa Women top their respective group with a healthy total of seven points from three games (against Sheffield United, Coventry United and Durham), before falling to a narrow quarter-final defeat to Bristol City at Twerton Park.
BALL NUMBERS – NORTHERN SECTION
1. Durham
2. Liverpool
3. Blackburn Rovers
4. Sheffield United
5. Manchester United
6. Everton
7. Sunderland
8. Leicester City
9. ASTON VILLA
BALL NUMBERS – SOUTHERN SECTION
1. Coventry United
2. Crystal Palace
3. London City Lionesses
4. Watford
5. Charlton Athletic
6. Brighton & Hove Albion
7. West Ham United
8. Bristol City
9. Birmingham City
10. Reading
11. Tottenham Hotspur
12. Lewes
