MLS NEXT adds seven expansion teams ahead of 2025-26 season
Friday, Feb 28, 2025, 11:00 PM
MLS NEXT has announced seven new clubs that will join the program’s top tier beginning in the 2025-26 season.
Of the new clubs joining the top level of MLS NEXT, ALBION SC Colorado, Michigan Futbol Academy, Northern Virginia Alliance, The Football Academy, and Tulsa Greenwood SC will provide a full player pathway, competing in all age groups of MLS NEXT competition from U13 to U19.
Tulsa Greenwood SC will be the first MLS NEXT club in Oklahoma, marking the 34th different state to have an MLS NEXT team, along with the District of Columbia.
Three clubs with MLS NEXT Pro affiliations will join in the fall – Chattanooga FC (U13 to U15), Huntsville City FC (U13, U14), and Michigan Futbol Academy (U13 to U19). Huntsville City is the first MLS NEXT Pro affiliate to launch an MLS NEXT academy independent of its MLS club, while Michigan Futbol Academy will be affiliated with the recently announced MLS NEXT Pro team in Grand Rapids.
Chattanooga FC, which started competing in MLS NEXT Pro in 2024 as an independent club, was previously announced as joining MLS NEXT in 2025-26.
“After a rigorous expansion process, these seven clubs demonstrated a thoughtful commitment to player development that will be extremely valuable to our program,” said MLS NEXT general manager Kyle Albrecht.
“We are excited to welcome all the expansion clubs that will be joining across both MLS NEXT tiers and look forward to the impact they will make. The interest from across the ecosystem emphasizes MLS NEXT’s standing as one of the most elite platforms for player development in the world.”
MLS NEXT also announced the division structure and participating teams in the new tier of competition, which was previously unveiled in January.
The new tier will feature more than 1,200 teams from more than 220 clubs across regional divisions during the regular season. Of those clubs, more than half previously competed outside of MLS NEXT. Each division will be managed by leading league operators across the youth landscape with a strong commitment to player development – the National Academy League (NAL) operated by 3Step Soccer, Elite Academy League (EAL), Sporting Development League (SDL), Cobalt Sports, and Cal North Soccer Association.
Regular season play will begin in September 2025, which will be accompanied by regional tournaments and an opportunity to attend MLS NEXT national events, as well as coaching development and education programs. The regional tournaments will serve as qualifying for a championship event at the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs later in 2026. These events will be marquee talent identification opportunities for college, professional, and national team scouts to evaluate players. Players competing in the new tier will also be eligible to play high school soccer.
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Chattanooga FC To Add U15 MLS NEXT Team
Chattanooga FC (CFC) announced today an additional elite boys youth team that will enter MLS NEXT, the top youth soccer development league in North America, starting in the 2025-2026 season.
A U15 team (2011 birth year) will begin competing in the fall of 2025 alongside the previously announced U13 (2013 birth year) and U14 (2012 birth year) teams.
CFC will host ID sessions and informational meetings throughout the spring, with dates to be announced in the days to come, with formal tryouts scheduled to take place in May 2025.
MLS NEXT provides the best player development experience in North America. Founded on a collaborative approach to governance and a commitment to innovation, MLS NEXT players have access to the highest levels of competition and to training to prepare them for their futures, both in soccer and in life.
Chattanooga FC is committed to fostering elite player development with a local community framework aimed at nurturing well-rounded individuals.
Chattanooga Football Club Technical Director Sebastian Giraldo, said:
“This development represents our continued commitment to providing a comprehensive athlete pathway from grassroots to the professional level of the game. This is the highest level of boys soccer in the country and is vital in providing a pathway to our MLS NEXT Pro team. We are excited about what this represents for Chattanooga and the growth of soccer in Tennessee.”
MLS NEXT annually executes a rigorous expansion process to select new clubs to compete in the upcoming season. Several factors were considered, including top-notch training plans, experienced coaching, effective player ID and recruitment, high-quality facilities, cutting-edge technological opportunities, and defined player pathways. Off the field, clubs were required to demonstrate a mission-aligned culture with core values, overall community engagement, holistic development strategies, a strong commitment to access and representation, robust financial aid and scholarship programs, and a forward-thinking leadership team. These characteristics ensured that chosen clubs aligned with MLS NEXT’s standards for accessibility, representation, and player development within North America’s most elite platform for youth soccer.
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