Making a statement in San Antonio
MLS NEXT launched the Academy Division in the 2025-26 season, furthering its commitment to player development and creating opportunities for all players to reach their highest potential. This expansion broadens access, raises the level of play, and deepens the overall talent pool of players, coaches, and referees across North America.
Making a statement in San Antonio
MLS NEXT launched the Academy Division in the 2025-26 season, furthering its commitment to player development and creating opportunities for all players to reach their highest potential.
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Join the MLS NEXT Academy today
We offer a free training session and evaluation for anyone that is interested in experiencing our soccer club and seeing if the MLS NEXT Academy is for you. With our professional coaching staff assessing your child's ability, let's see if you have what it takes!
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National showcases and tournaments
Our MLS NEXT Academy players travel to mandatory national events throughout the year. With MLS NEXT Fest, MLS NEXT Flex and the MLS Cup (if qualified) on their schedules, our teams can truly test themselves against the best players in the nation.
MLS NEXT Fest
MLS NEXT Fest brings together the top youth teams from across the United States and Canada, featuring over 1,400 teams, 30,000+ players and 2,400+ matches across U13-U19 age groups, it stands as the best winter recruiting event in North America.
MLS NEXT Flex
Showcasing elite talent and bringing together top MLS academies and elite non-MLS clubs in a competitive format, MLS NEXT Flex acts as a final chance for teams to qualify for the end-of-season MLS NEXT Cup (the national championship).
MLS NEXT Cup
The MLS NEXT Cup is the ultimate championship tournament for top youth academy teams in North America (MLS & Elite Academies), crowning champions across age groups (U13-U19) after a regular season of league play and qualifiers.
MLS NEXT’s goal is to strengthen the player development ecosystem, enabling more athletes to showcase their talents throughout the regular season and at MLS NEXT regional and national events.
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x3 training sessions per week (90mins per session)
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x2 mandatory MLS NEXT national events
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Skills and technical development
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Tactical training
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MLS NEXT league registration
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Trace camera match videos per team
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Club uniform is a separate cost
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Birth Years: 2013 (U13) - 2008/07 (U18/19)
US Soccer has mandated that for the 2026/2027 season, and going forwards, playing age groups will be determined based on school age year, rather than birth year. In other words, age groups are based on August 1 - July 31 of the birth year.
Training information
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Training times are dependent on age groups, for example our younger players U13-U14 will train at 6.15-7.45pm and our senior players (U15-U19) will train at 7.45-9.15pm
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All MLS NEXT Academy teams train x3 times a week, with each session duration of 90 minutes
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All MLS NEXT Academy training sessions are held at our North Central location, GVTC Communications Sportsplex
Season information
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The season schedule is set by the Program Director (Ivan Ferreris)
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Travel outside of state for games is limited but is part of the regular season calendar
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x2 mandatory MLS NEXT events
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Season length typically runs from Fall (August 1st - December 15th*) - Spring (January 12th - May 10th*)
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*End of season events possible
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Can I play for my School in the MLS NEXT Academy
Yes, the Academy division allows you to play Middle School and High School soccer.
What benefits do I get for participating in the MLS NEXT Academy
Our players continually compete against elite level MLS NEXT teams and clubs during the regular season, testing their abilities and developing at high levels. They are also exposed to high level events during the regular season, including MLS NEXT Fest and MLS NEXT Flex as mandatory.
Can I join a team if I have missed tryouts
Yes, we always offer every player an opportunity to train and be evaluated by our professional coaching staff.
Who can I contact regarding the MLS NEXT Academy program
Please call: (210) 599-4622 or email our program director (Ivan Ferreris) at: ivan.f@saunitedsoccer.com.
Program overview
The regular season is regionally focused and built around high school calendars, providing while maintaining elite development standards. Academy Division players are permitted to participate in high school soccer, offering a unique balance between top-tier competition and local play.