Billed as a one-season trial at present, the Trophy will also switch to a group stage format in the opening round with each team playing three matches.
There has been a heated debate in the days since the announcement about the merits of allowing academy teams to compete and what it potentially means for the future.
Is it paving the way, for instance, for 'B' teams to compete in the Football League (rebranded as the EFL from next season) in future as proposals for an extra division and eight new clubs to be included remain on the agenda.