MLS NEXT kicks off 2026-27 season developing future stars | OneFootball

By MLSsoccer staff

The 2026-27 MLS NEXT season begins this weekend, marking the youth platform's seventh campaign and continuing its track record of developing top professional and collegiate soccer players.

Since launching in 2020, MLS NEXT has become a foundational part of the North American soccer ecosystem, bringing together top clubs, coaches and players under a unified development platform. 

The 2026-27 campaign is the second season featuring two competition tiers – MLS NEXT Allstate Homegrown Division and MLS NEXT Academy Division – that create more opportunities for elite players and clubs across North America. 

"MLS NEXT continues to set the standard for youth player development in North America," said Ali Curtis, President, MLS NEXT Pro and EVP of MLS Sporting Development. 

"We're incredibly proud of the league we’ve built, and we remain committed to supporting young players with the opportunity to grow, compete and take meaningful steps forward in their journey."

Moving up

MLS NEXT alumni continue to deliver on the pitch, further solidifying the platform as a key driver of the player pathway.

National team impact

MLS NEXT’s influence also extends across the national team landscape.

Expanded MLS NEXT events

New for the 2026-27 season, MLS NEXT has increased the number of teams competing at three of its five marquee events – thus expanding visibility for more players.  

MLS NEXT FEST: December 2-13, 2026 

MLS NEXT FEST is the largest youth soccer scouting and talent identification event in North America, featuring more than 1,600 teams from at least 300 clubs across all six MLS NEXT age groups, from U13 to U19. Hundreds of professional, national team and college scouts will evaluate more than 32,000 players across 2,400 matches. New this year, the MLS NEXT Academy Division will introduce a play-in competition across all age groups, creating more opportunities for players to compete in high-quality, meaningful matches while giving teams an additional pathway to qualify for 2027 MLS NEXT Cup presented by Allstate. 

Generation adidas Cup: March 25-April 2, 2027 

One of the most prestigious youth tournaments in global soccer, the 2027 Generation adidas Cup will see MLS academies and top international club academies going head-to-head at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. New this year, the U16 age group will grow from 40 to 48 teams, ensuring every group includes an international club, creating additional opportunities for top emerging talent to compete on a global stage.   

MLS NEXT Cup presented by Allstate: June 5-13, 2027  

The 2026-27 MLS NEXT season culminates at MLS NEXT Cup as the best youth teams in the U.S. and Canada compete for an illustrious MLS NEXT championship. This year, the Homegrown Division will expand from 32 to 48 teams at the U15 through U19 age groups, giving more clubs and players the opportunity to compete in MLS NEXT’s premier postseason competition.

Individual player development

In 2025, MLS NEXT partnered with Taka, a youth soccer performance-analysis platform, to develop Quality of Play rankings across the U13 and U14 age groups. The rankings use data to measure attacking, defensive, and overall contributions, providing a more complete view of individual and team development.  

This season, MLS NEXT will provide all clubs with premium access to Taka, giving every player individual match highlights and performance insights through Taka’s Individual Development Plans. 

By incorporating video and analytics, MLS NEXT is helping clubs identify high-potential players earlier, track progress more consistently, and create more personalized development pathways. The result is an environment that rewards technical quality, decision-making, tactical awareness, and long-term growth — the traits needed to prepare players for MLS NEXT Pro, MLS first teams, college soccer, and national team opportunities.

Get discovered

MLS NEXT uses a structured, year-round approach to identifying top players across the platform.  

Through league competition, marquee events, a centralized Talent ID database, a new spring showcase, and expanded Talent ID events across 15 MLS markets, MLS NEXT players will have more opportunities than ever this season to be evaluated, challenged, and supported throughout their development pathway. 

These opportunities will help connect players with MLS NEXT clubs, MLS academies, MLS NEXT Pro teams, MLS first teams, college programs, and national team scouts. 

With expanded events, increased Talent ID opportunities, and a continued focus on player development, MLS NEXT enters its seventh season positioned to offer more pathways, more visibility, and more opportunities than ever for the game’s next generation of stars.