MLS NEXT Cup: Qualified Playoff Teams Ready for Nashville

The biggest youth soccer tournament of the year is coming to Tennessee, and 128 teams have earned their golden tickets to compete.

What Makes This Tournament Special

MLS NEXT Cup is a chance for qualified teams to hold up the trophy in their respective age groups. Not qualified? Teams will play three games in front of many pro and college coaches and scouts.

Like the 2024 showcase, this year’s tournament will take place again at the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex near Nashville. The dates are June 14-22, 2025. Players and families will travel from all over America to be part of this massive event.

How the Tournament Works

The tournament has two main parts. Some age groups play in playoffs to crown national champions. Others compete in showcase games where college scouts watch closely.

Playoff age groups fight for trophies: U15, U16, U17, and U19. Showcase age groups play to impress scouts: U13, U14, U15, U16, and U17/U18.

Games start as early as 8:00 AM and can run until late afternoon. The youngest players (U13 and U14) play from June 19-22. The older playoff teams start earlier on June 14-15.

Meet the Qualified MLS NEXT Cup Teams

Here are all the teams that earned their spots:

U15 Playoff Teams

The U15 division brings together 32 teams ready to fight for the title:

• Barca Residency
• Sporting Athletic
• Strikers FC
• Houston Dynamo
• LA Galaxy
• Colorado Rapids
• BW Gottschee
• Sacramento Republic
• St. Louis City SC
• Real Colorado
• Minnesota United
• SJ Earthquakes
• FC Cincinnati
• Nashville SC
• Columbus Crew
• Breakers FC
• Michigan Wolves
• Queen City Mutiny
• New York Red Bulls
• Orlando City
• Phila Union
• Atlanta UTD
• DC United
• Weston FC
• FC Delco
• Sporting KC
• LAFC
• Charlotte FC
• TFA
• FC Dallas
• IFA
• Austin FC

Our Pick to Win: Strikers FC – They’ve shown great teamwork all season. They’ve beat some of the best of the best over the season.

U16 Playoff Teams

The U16 bracket features 32 teams with serious talent:

• Barca Residency
• Vancouver Whitecaps
• Strikers FC
• Real Salt Lake
• NEFC
• LAFC
• BW Gottschee
• LA Galaxy
• Shattuck
• Wake FC
• Sockers FC
• Athletum FC
• Indy Eleven
• Orlando City Youth
• FC Cincinnati
• Sacramento Republic
• Chicago Fire
• Global Football Academy
• Columbus Crew
• Real Futbol Academy
• New York Red Bulls
• FC Delco
• Philadelphia Union
• Bethesda
• CF Montreal
• FC Dallas
• DC United
• Austin FC
• Atlanta United
• Charlotte FC
• Orlando City
• Inter Miami

Our Pick to Win: Vancouver Whitecaps – With a record of 15-0-1, Whitecaps will be hard to beat. I think they’ll cap off their season with a trophy.

U17 Playoff Teams

The U17 division showcases 32 teams of older, stronger players:

• Barca Residency
• PDA
• Albion SD
• Baltimore Armour
• Strikers FC
• CSA Monmouth
• CSA Bergen
• Bethesda
• Met Oval
• Real Colorado
• IFA
• FC Dallas
• Boston Bolts
• Global Football Academy
• NEFC
• Sacramento Republic
• Bayside
• Silicon Valley SA
• St. Louis Scott Gallagher
• De Anza Force
• Sockers FC
• Weston FC
• Chicago United
• Inter Miami
• SC Wave
• Orlando City Youth
• Michigan Wolves
• Tampa Bay United
• Michigan Jaguars
• Queen City Mutiny
• FC Delco
• Triangle United

Our Pick to Win: FC Delco – They know how to win the big games. This has been another great season by another FC Delco team.

U19 Playoff Teams

The oldest group has 32 teams of nearly college players:

• Barca Residency
• FC Dallas
• Chula Vista
• Houston Dynamo
• Strikers FC
• PDA
• CSA Bergen
• Real Colorado
• FC Westchester
• Global Football Academy
• Boston Bolts
• Sacramento Republic
• Sockers FC
• Orlando City Youth
• Michigan Wolves
• Weston FC
• Indy Eleven
• Queen City Mutiny
• Michigan Jaguars
• LA Galaxy
• Chicago Fire
• Real Salt Lake
• Toronto FC
• LAFC
• Phila Union
• Colorado Rapids
• New York Red Bulls
• SJ Earthquakes
• Orlando City
• Portland Timbers
• Austin FC
• Seattle Sounders

Our Pick to Win: Orlando City – They won the 2025 GA Cup. Their roster is packed with talent. Their experience gives them the edge.

Why This Tournament Matters

For young soccer players, making it to MLS NEXT Cup is huge. College coaches come to watch. Some players even get noticed by professional teams.

The tournament also brings together the best youth programs in America. Teams learn from each other and form friendships that last for years.

Three Key Insights:

1. Geographic Spread Shows Soccer’s Growth – Teams come from all regions, proving soccer is growing everywhere in America, not just traditional hotspots.
2. MLS Academies Dominate – Most qualified teams connect to MLS clubs, showing how professional investment in youth development pays off.
3. The Path to Pro Starts Here – Many current MLS players competed in this tournament as teenagers, making it a true pipeline to professional soccer.

We’ll See You There

This event will bring in the best of the best. I’ve seen the league develop into a true elite platform, and this event is the culmination of the hard work players have put in.

If you can’t be there, go follow our Instagram to see some of the footage.

If you are in Nashville for the MLS Next Cup, I’d love to meet up and say “hi”.