NEW YORK (March 9, 2026)― MLS NEXT today announced the expansion of both tiers of competition, further
strengthening the player development pathway across North America and creating an environment for athletes to
reach their highest potential. This continued growth builds on the launch of the MLS NEXT Academy Division during
the 2025–26 season, which broadened participation alongside the top tier of competition, the MLS NEXT Allstate
Homegrown Division, and further deepened the overall player development ecosystem.
With this expansion, MLS NEXT will now be represented in 40 states, along with the District of Columbia, and will
now include 318 clubs and over 53,000 players across both Divisions.
“We are excited to add these new clubs to the MLS NEXT community as we continue to grow the game and develop
the next generation of talent in North America’s player development platform,” said Luis Robles, MLS NEXT
Technical Director. “Their commitment to building high-performance environments for young athletes raises the
standard across our platform and reinforces the strength of our membership. These organizations have
demonstrated a clear dedication to nurturing top talent, as we continue elevating the standards of elite youth
development.”
Clubs will compete in regular season matches, regional tournaments, and MLS NEXT national events, while also
benefiting from coaching education programs, talent identification initiatives, and high-performance development opportunities. These efforts build on MLS NEXT’s track record of developing players who are making an impact in MLS, MLS NEXT Pro, collegiate programs, along with professional clubs and national teams around the world.
MLS NEXT ALLSTATE HOMEGROWN DIVISION
MLS NEXT has announced seven new clubs that will join the MLS NEXT Allstate Homegrown Division beginning in the
2026–27 season. Five of the seven clubs; Club Ohio Soccer, Coppermine SC, One FC, SGA, and Sporting City; are
advancing from the MLS NEXT Academy Division following strong performances both on and off the field. The Island
FC will also join as an MLS NEXT Pro Academy.
Expansion teams
• Penn Rising XI (Allentown, PA) - U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U19
• The Island FC (Suffolk, NY) - U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U19
• Club Ohio Soccer (Dublin, OH) - U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U19
• Coppermine SC (Baltimore, MD) - U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U19
• One FC (Miami, FL) - U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U19
• SGA (Austin, TX) - U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U19
• Sporting City (Kansas City, KS) - U13, U14
MLS NEXT ACADEMY DIVISION
MLS NEXT has also announced 47 new clubs that will join the MLS NEXT Academy Division beginning in the 2026-27
season.
Expansion Clubs
• 210 FC
• AB7 Future Academy
• Albertson Soccer Club
• ALBION SC Atlanta
• Azzurri Storm Soccer Club
• Brooklyn United Academy
• California Athletic Soccer Club
• Cedar Stars Academy Hudson Valley
• Central Illinois United
• Charlotte Eagles
• Covered Bridge Soccer Club
• Dallas Surf Soccer Club
• DC Soccer Club
• DME Academy
• Eastern Iowa United
• Eastshore Alliance Fútbol Club (Berkeley, CA)
• Evolution Soccer Club
• FC Florida
• FC Greater Boston Bolts White
• Fort Wayne United FC
• Georgia Impact SC
• Hoosier Futbol Club
• Houston Select FC
• Indy Premier Soccer Club
• Jersey Football Club
• Key Biscayne Soccer Club
• Millennium Soccer Academy
• New England Force
• North Bay Glens SC (North Bay, CA)
• Northern Virginia United Academy
• Omaha Evolution Soccer Club
• Orlando City Soccer School Lake Nona
• PDA SC Vistula
• Penn Rising Xl
• Reading Rage Surf Soccer Club
• Roseville Soccer Club (Roseville, CA)
• Rozeboom Futbol Academy
• Sporting Columbus
• Springs Soccer Club
• Strikers FC Orange County
• Texas Lightning SC
• The Island FC
• The Player Progression Academy
• Torpedoes SC
• Union County FC
• Vero FC
• Virginia Velocity FC
CONFERENCE EXPANSION
Ahead of the 2026-27 MLS NEXT season, the MLS NEXT Academy Division will introduce four new conferences. The
conference structure has been adjusted to optimize scheduling, increase regular season match opportunities, and
improve travel efficiency while reducing costs for participating clubs.
Operated by National Academy League:
• Carolinas
• Garden State
• Great Lakes North
• Great Lakes South
• Mid-Atlantic
• New England
• North
• Northeast
• South
• Sunshine North
• Sunshine South
• Virginia
Operated by Cobalt Sports:
• Desert
• Pioneer
Operated by Elite Academy League:
• Mountain
• Pacific Northwest
• Southern California
Operated by Cal North Soccer Association
• Northern California Redwood
• Northern California Coast
Operated by Sporting Development League
• Heartland
These three clubs will be joining the following existing clubs:
• ALBION SC Merced (Merced, CA)
• Almaden FC (San Jose, CA)
• Atletico Santa Rosa (Santa Rosa, CA)
• Ballistic United SC ((Pleasanton, CA)
• Burlingame Soccer Club (Burlingame, CA)
• De Anza Force (Cupertino, CA)
• Diablo Valley Futbol Club (Concord, CA)
• Elk Grove Soccer (Elk Grove, CA)
• FC Bay Area Surf (San Jose, CA)
• Lamorinda Soccer Club (Moraga, CA)
• Modesto Ajax United (Modesto, CA)
• Napa United (Napa, CA)
• Sacramento United (Sacramento, CA)
• San Francisco Glens (San Francisco, CA)
• San Francisco Seals (San Francisco, CA)
• Silicon Valley Soccer Academy (Palo Alto, CA)
• Woodside Soccer Club Crush (Woodside/Redwood City, CA)
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About MLS NEXT
Launched in 2020, MLS NEXT is the most elite platform for youth player development in North America. With a commitment to innovation and providing access and representation, MLS NEXT players receive the best training and coaching as they prepare for their futures, both in soccer and in life. Throughout a season, MLS NEXT hosts four marquee events across the country, including the Generation adidas Cup, which features MLS academies playing against the top international clubs. Membership for the 2024-25 season included 29 MLS academies, 122 Elite Academies (151 total clubs), 753 teams and over 16,000 players across the U.S. and Canada. Official partners of MLS NEXT include adidas and Allstate. For more information about MLS NEXT, visit www.mlssoccer.com/mlsnext.
About Cal North Youth Soccer Association
Cal North is the original youth soccer organization in Northern California, who has served generations of players, coaches, leagues, and clubs with storied histories since 1969. Cal North is a member of a much larger soccer community, and as a member, you are also a member of this world community. Players register to play with one of the more than 200 clubs or leagues formed by Cal North. Through affiliation, our leagues and clubs are also members of US Youth Soccer, US Soccer, and US Futsal. US Soccer, along with over 197 other national soccer organizations, are members of FIFA, the Federation Internationale de Football Association. FIFA serves as the international governing body for soccer and US Soccer has been a member since 1913. Together, local, national and international organizations form a family of support for the young soccer players of Cal North.
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