The Premier League International Cup returns this season - with Rovers one of 12 English teams to be taking part.

It is the second time the club have been involved in the competition which returns after a three-year absence.

The competition sees 12 English Academy sides come up against their counterparts from across Europe.

The format has been changed, with the 24 teams split into three groups of eight. Another change means that English sides won’t face each other in the group stages, instead hosting four overseas opponents.

The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-place teams, will progress to the quarter-finals, which is a knockout stage.

Rovers get their competition under way when they host Celtic at Ewood Park on Wednesday, August 17 (7pm).

German side Wolfsburg travel to Ewood on Wednesday, October 12 (7pm), with Porto the final visitors to the club’s headquarters on Wednesday, November 16 (7pm).

Rovers’ final group game sees Spanish giants Valencia provide the opposition, with the game to the played at the Lancashire FA headquarters at Leyland on Wednesday, January 11 (7pm).

Wolves, Leicester City and Fulham complete Group A.

Ticket information will be announced in due course.

Rovers failed to make it beyond the group stages of the last competition, played in 2019/20, beaten 2-0 by Hertha Berlin and 2-1 by Benfica. John Buckley scored twice in a 3-2 win at Newcastle as they rounded off the competition with a victory.

Mike Sheron’s side are set to get their Premier League 2 campaign under way next month, with Academy football set to return to Under-21s, having been Under-23s for the last five years.