League Expansion and Professional Youth Signings

MLS Next announces new teams within an exciting weekend of games in addition to the signing of a new young prospect for Orlando City. The academies look forward to another weekend full of action as they prepare for the MLS NEXT Flex in two weeks time.

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Kismet Tuli & Lucas Aguirre
April 26, 2024

MLS NEXT announced the addition of eight new clubs as part of the program’s expansion for the 2024-25 season. Each new member is committed to fostering elite player development with a local community framework aimed at nurturing well-rounded individuals. All eight clubs will begin play in the fall of 2024.

Two clubs, AC River and Hoosier Premier Academy, will provide a full player pathway, competing in all age groups of MLS NEXT competition from U13 to U19.

With the addition of Southern States Soccer (Mississippi), MLS NEXT will also now feature teams from 35 different states, three Canadian provinces, and the District of Columbia.

Connecticut United Football Club (U14, U16) will join the previously announced Carolina Core FC (U13, U14) as independent clubs in MLS NEXT Pro that will have their fully-funded academies participate in MLS NEXT. Chattanooga FC, which started competing in MLS NEXT Pro in 2024 as an independent club, will join MLS NEXT in 2025-26.

“At their core, each expansion club has their own unique commitment to player development through high-level leadership and an emphasis on the holistic growth of each player, coach and staff member,” said MLS Executive Vice President Charles Altchek. “We are proud to add these eight clubs and grateful for the overwhelming interest we received to join MLS NEXT in 2024-25. MLS NEXT is the most elite player development program in North America and a top program globally.”

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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Orlando City B Signs Academy Product Colin Guske

Orlando City B has signed Orlando City Academy product and midfielder Colin Guske to a one-year MLS NEXT Pro contract through 2024, it was announced today, becoming yet another player to move up through the Club’s development pathway.

“Colin is another talented young player coming from our development pathway in the way that we envisioned at the beginning of this project,” said Orlando City SC VP of Soccer Operations and Technical Director Ricardo Moreira. “Colin is also another player that benefited from the full integration between our Academy, OCB and First Teams inside our training facilities, and took advantage of the time he had in preseason training camp with the First Team to sharpen his tools and show us that he’s ready for that next step along the development pathway. Despite his age, Colin shows a lot of personality on and off the field and we truly believe his future with us will be bright.”

A product of the Orlando City Academy since 2020, Guske made his professional debut this year with Orlando City B, starting in all three of his appearances so far in the campaign. The St. Johns, Fla., native also scored his first professional goal in the Club’s season-opening match against Atlanta United 2, tallying the game-winner.

Guske, 17, joined the Orlando City First Team for preseason, participating in the team’s weeklong training camp in Mexico earlier this year.

MLS Next: Games to Watch This Weekend

On Saturday, the New England Revolution will take on Atlanta United in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The New England Revolution U-17 team achieved a draw last weekend against Orlando City, while the U-15 team suffered a 4-1 defeat against the Florida-based team. Meanwhile, Atlanta United will be playing their first matches following the Generation Adidas Cup and will be aiming to secure three points in both games.

Los Angeles FC and LA Galaxy will have a doubleheader this weekend, facing off against Real Salt Lake and Portland Timbers. Initially, the LAFC U-15 and U-17 teams will compete against Real Salt Lake on April 27 at Jesse Owens Stadium in Los Angeles, while LA Galaxy will take on Portland Timbers on the same day. The following day, Los Angeles FC will play against Portland Timbers at the same stadium, while LA Galaxy will face Real Salt Lake. Real Salt Lake and Portland Timbers both had positive results in their matches last weekend.

The San Jose Earthquakes will host games against the Colorado Rapids this Sunday, April 28. The Quakes previously faced LA Galaxy on April 13, securing a 2-0 victory for the U-15s but suffering a 2-1 defeat for the U-17s. Meanwhile, the Colorado Rapids faced Portland Timbers last weekend, experiencing a 2-1 loss against Portland Timbers U-15 and a 2-2 draw against the same team.

Chicago Fire will anticipate a highly anticipated matchup as their U-15 team takes on Columbus Crew on April 27. Both teams have displayed strong collective and individual performances, making this match a highlight of the weekend. The following day, both the Chicago Fire U-15 and U-17 teams will face FC Cincinnati in Ohio.

FC Dallas, on the other hand, will face St. Louis City SC on Saturday in what promises to be a contest between two formidable teams across both age groups. FC Dallas recently played against Austin FC and Houston Dynamo last weekend, yielding mixed results, while St. Louis City SC will be playing their first matches after the Generation Adidas Cup.