MLS NEXT unveils structure and participating teams for new tier of competition

MLS NEXT has 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.

(+MLS NEXT announces 7 new member clubs joining top tier for 2025-26 season)

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.

New England

Operated by National Academy League

• Bayside FC
• Connecticut Rush
• FC Greater Boston Bolts
• Ginga FC
• IFA West
• Intercontinental FA
• NEFC
• NEFC South
• New England Surf SC
• New York Elite Alleycats FC
• New York Rush
• Oakwood Soccer Club
• Rhode Island Surf SC
• Rochester NY FC Academy
• Seacoast United Bedford
• Seacoast United Mass
• Syracuse Development Academy
• Valeo Futbol Club

Tri-State

Operated by National Academy League

• Beachside of Connecticut
• Blau Weiss Gottschee
• Cedar Stars Academy Bergen
• Cedar Stars Academy Newark
• Downtown United Soccer Club
• FA Euro New York
• FC Hudson Valley
• FC Westchester
• Ironbound SC
• Long Island Slammers
• Long Island Soccer Club
• Metropolitan Oval
• New York SC
• Stony Brook Lake Grove
• The Football Academy
• TSF Academy

Mid-Atlantic

Operated by National Academy League

• Alexandria SA
• Baltimore Armour
• Bethesda SC
• Cedar Stars Academy Monmouth
• Coppermine SC
• FC DELCO
• Keystone FC
• Loudoun Soccer Club
• McLean Youth Soccer
• PA Classics
• PA Classics Harrisburg
• PDA Hibernian
• Players Development Academy
• Real Futbol Academy
• Sporting Athletic Club
• Springfield SYC
• Virginia Revolution SC
• West Virginia Soccer

Carolinas

Operated by National Academy League

• Carolina Core
• Carolina Velocity FC
• Charleston SC
• Fox Soccer Academy Carolinas
• James Island Youth Soccer Club
• Queen City Mutiny
• Tormenta FC Academy
• Triangle United SA
• Wake FC

South

Operated by National Academy League

• AFC Lightning
• BRSC
• Hoover-Vestavia Soccer
• Inter Atlanta FC
• KSA
• Lanier Soccer Academy
• One Knoxville SC
• Roswell Soccer Club
• Southern Soccer Academy
• Southern States Soccer

Sunshine

Operated by National Academy League

• Athletum FC Academy
• Chargers Soccer Club
• Florida Rush
• Galacticos Soccer Academy
• IdeaSport SA
• IMG
• Jacksonville FC
• Miami Futbol Academy Rush
• NONA Soccer Academy
• One FC
• Orlando City Soccer School South
• Orlando City Youth SC – Seminole
• Plantation FC Rush
• South Florida Football Academy
• Tampa Bay United
• United Soccer Alliance
• West Florida Flames
• Weston FC

Pioneer

Operated by Cobalt Sports

• AC River
• Capital City North
• Capital City South
• Dallas Hornets North
• Dallas Hornets East
• GFIA North
• GFIA South
• Houston Futsal Club
• Houston Rangers
• IDEA Toros Futbol Academy
• Ozark United FC
• San Antonio United SC
• Sporting Oklahoma
• Tulsa Greenwood SC

Heartland

Operated by Sporting Development League

• Lou Fusz Athletic
• Lou Fusz Athletic 2
• Sporting Blue Valley
• Sporting City
• Sporting Springfield
• Sporting Wichita
• St. Louis Development Academy
• St. Louis Scott Gallagher
• St. Louis Scott Gallagher St. Charles
• Sting Nebraska

Great Lakes

Operated by National Academy League

• Beadling SC
• Chicago FC United
• Chicago Fire Youth SC
• Club Ohio
• Cincinnati United Premier SC
• Galaxy Soccer Club
• Indy Eleven
• Javanon FC
• Lexington SC
• Michigan Bucks Academy
• Michigan Futbol Academy
• Michigan Jaguars
• Michigan Jaguars United FC
• Michigan Stars Elite
• Michigan Tigers FC
• Michigan Wolves
• Midwest United FC
• St. Louis Scott Gallagher Illinois
• Sockers FC Chicago
• Vardar Soccer Club

North

Operated by National Academy League

• Bavarian United SC
• Elmbrook United
• Forward Madison FC
• Lakeville SC
• Manitou F.C.
• Minneapolis United SC
• SC Wave
• Saint Paul Blackhawks
• Tonka Fusion Elite
• Wisconsin United FC

Pacific Northwest

Operated by Elite Academy League

• Atletico FC
• Mt. Rainier Futbol Club
• Oregon Surf SC
• Saints Academy
• Seattle Celtic
• Soccer Chance Academy
• Sozo FC
• Valor Soccer
• Washington East Surf SC
• Washington Rush
• Western Washington Surf SC
• Westside Metros FC
• Whatcom Rangers

Mountain

Operated by Elite Academy League and clubs will be announced at a later date.

Northern California

Operated by Cal North Soccer Association

• AC Mari
• ALBION SC Merced
• Almaden FC
• Atletico Santa Rosa
• Ballistic United
• Breakers FC
• Burlingame Soccer Club
• De Anza Force
• Diablo Valley Futbol Club
• Elk Grove Soccer
• FC Bay Area Surf
• Lamorinda Soccer Club
• Los Gatos United Soccer Club
• Napa United
• Palo Alto Soccer Club | Silicon Valley Soccer Academy
• Sacramento United
• San Francisco Glens SC
• San Francisco Seals
• Woodside Soccer Club Crush

Desert

Operated by Cobalt Sports

• ALBION Las Vegas
• Barca Residency Academy
• Celtic Storm
• City SC Utah
• Downtown Las Vegas SC
• FC Tucson Youth SC
• Las Vegas Sports Academy
• Monarchs AZ
• Phoenix Premier FC
• Phoenix Rising FC
• Players Soccer Club
• RSL Arizona
• RSL Arizona Mesa
• SC Del Sol
• Sparta United Soccer Club
• Utah FC
• Wasatch Soccer Club

Southern California

Operated by Elite Academy League

• ALBION Los Angeles
• ALBION Riverside
• ALBION San Diego
• Chula Vista FC
• City SC – San Diego
• FC Golden State
• LA Surf Soccer Club
• LA Youth
• Laguna United FC
• Los Angeles Bulls Soccer Club
• Los Angeles Soccer Club
• Murrieta Soccer Academy
• Oaks FC
• SoCal Reds FC
• Strikers FC
• Total Futbol Academy
• Ventura County Fusion