Generation adidas Cup to feature Girls Academy All-Stars as event expands for 2025

NEW YORK – Major League Soccer and MLS NEXT announced details for the 2025 Generation adidas Cup, which will mark the largest and most competitive tournament to date.

The 2025 edition of the premier international youth tournament will feature 80 teams, representing 14 different countries, and four continents. International powerhouses FC Bayern, Inter Milan, and Palmeiras will be among the clubs competing against MLS academies at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., from April 12-20. The 80 teams will be split evenly at the U18 and U16 age groups and will include four MLS NEXT Elite Academies (non-MLS academies) which qualified via their performance at MLS NEXT Fest in December 2024.

Additionally, as part of MLS NEXT’s strategic alliance with the Girls Academy, the 2025 Generation adidas Cup will feature the first-ever Girls Division. Two All-Star teams of top domestic Girls Academy prospects and two of the best international girls clubs in the world – FC Bayern Munich and Manchester City FC – will square off against one another in a round-robin tournament at the U16 age group.

The historic competition will culminate in a championship match on Sunday, April 20. The East and West Girls Academy All-Star rosters will be announced at a later date and two matches will be streamed live as part of the tournament’s coverage on MLS’ YouTube page.

Twenty-eight Generation adidas games, including championship matches in both age groups, will stream live on MLS’ YouTube page. Further Generation adidas Cup broadcast details, including the announcers and schedule of streamed matches, will be announced in the lead-up to the tournament.

“Generation adidas Cup showcases MLS’ successful player development pathway on the global stage as MLS academies compete against the world’s best,” said MLS Senior Vice President of Sporting Development Ali Curtis. “The quality of international competition and introduction of a new girls competition in 2025 further showcases MLS’ and adidas’ commitment to making Generation adidas Cup the top youth tournament in the world.”

“Our partnership with Major League Soccer is central to our growth plans for the sport of soccer in North America,” said Zola Short, Sr. Director of Soccer Sports Marketing, adidas North America. “We are committed as a brand to growth at all levels of the game, none more so than at the youth level, which is why we look forward to a marquee event like Generation adidas Cup every year.”

Top International Clubs to Compete

The 2025 Generation adidas Cup will see 18 different international clubs competing in U18 and U16 age groups. Notably, the tournament will include multiple clubs from four different continents – Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Among the prestigious clubs participating are Inter Milan (U18), which will become the second team from Italy to compete (AS Roma, 2022), and first-time participants FC Bayern (U16) and VfB Stuttgart (U16). Independiente de Panama (U18) is set to become the inaugural Panamanian club to participate.

Four MLS NEXT Elite Academies to Compete

For the first time in the event’s history, four MLS NEXT Elite Academies (non-MLS academies) qualified for Generation adidas Cup by reaching the finals of a single-elimination tournament at MLS NEXT Fest in December 2024. In the U18 age group, Sockers FC Chicago defeated Jacksonville Armada FC, while at the U16 level, Tampa Bay United won in penalty kicks against Barça Residency Academy to book their spot and compete against the world’s best approximately 60 miles from their club facility.

Young Talent Becomes Stars at Generation adidas Cup

The best young players in the world will descend upon the 2025 Generation adidas Cup as 29 MLS clubs will be represented in both the U18 and U16 age groups. Since 2022, MLS academies have won five of the past six Generation adidas Cup titles, highlighted by the Philadelphia Union winning back-to-back U17 trophies in 2023 and 2024. Of the Union players who lifted the 2024 Generation adidas Cup trophy, eight later played in MLS NEXT Pro for Philadelphia Union II and three signed MLS contracts as Homegrown players.

The tournament has been a springboard for young talents who have gone on to shine on the international stage. Players like Ricardo Pepi (FC Dallas / PSV), Gio Reyna (New York City FC / Borussia Dortmund), and Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union) have showcased their skills in past editions with each proving to be impactful for the U.S. Senior and Youth National Teams. Notable international players who have starred at a Generation adidas Cup include 2022 FIFA World Cup winners Julián Álvarez (River Plate / Atlético Madrid) and Enzo Fernández (River Plate / Chelsea), 18-year-old breakout midfielder Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), French internationals Bradley Barcola (Olympique Lyon / PSG), Malo Gusto (Olympique Lyon / Chelsea), and many more.

Competition Structure

Forty teams, organized into 10 groups of four, will compete in each of the two age groups. Group draws will be random, utilizing buckets categorized by division for MLS academies, while international clubs will be drawn randomly. Sixteen teams will advance to the single-elimination championship bracket – comprising the 10 group winners and the top six second-place finishers. The next-best 16 teams will enter a consolation bracket, with the final eight teams competing in consolation groups to provide additional competitive matches.

All teams competing in the 2025 Generation adidas Cup are guaranteed to play seven 60-minute matches, comprised of two 30-minute halves. The championship matches in both age groups will be extended to 70-minute matches. All contests that are tied at the end of regulation will go directly to a penalty-kick shootout.

After the conclusion of the tournament, awards will be presented in both age groups, recognizing the Most Valuable Player presented by adidas, Top Scorer, and Generation adidas Cup Best Goalkeeper presented by Allstate. The Best XI presented by adidas will highlight the top-performing players from each position at the competition.