Inaugural MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs to take place this summer in Dallas area
NEW YORK – The inaugural MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs will take place from June 25 – July 3, 2021 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where MLS NEXT Cup champions will be crowned in four age groups (U15, U16, U17, U19).
A total of 128 teams will participate in the championship tournament to conclude the ten-month inaugural season. Twenty-five matches will be streamed live on MLSsoccer.com with six matches taking place on FC Dallas’ stadium field in Frisco, Texas.
The MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs will be a single-elimination competition with 32 teams in each age group. Teams will qualify for MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs on a points per game basis from their performance in the MLS NEXT regular season.
“The MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs will provide more opportunity for clubs to play important matches and our players to further showcase their abilities in front of scouts and coaches,” said MLS NEXT Technical Director Fred Lipka. “This will be the culmination of an exciting season and serve as a celebration of everything our players, coaches, referees and staff achieved over the last year.”
“We are very excited to host the inaugural MLS NEXT Cup at our facilities,” said Luchi Gonzalez, Head Coach of FC Dallas. “As a club, developing homegrown talent is something we have been focused on for many years and is evident in the talented players emerging from our club. MLS NEXT is an extremely valuable component as we continue to enhance the professional player pathway and we look forward to welcoming the best players in our country to Dallas in June.”
MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase will include a significant focus on talent identification and technical analysis with MLS NEXT Match Evaluators, U.S. Soccer’s Director of Talent Identification, Tony Lepore, youth national team coaches and a vast assortment of college coaches in attendance.
MLS NEXT Match Evaluators are former professional players and coaches, evaluating MLS NEXT matches to assess the quality of play and identify top talents. The MLS NEXT Match Evaluator Program will debut at the event this summer and continue into the 2021-22 MLS NEXT regular season and beyond. In addition, each match will be filmed and then analyzed so each team is able to review their match. MLS NEXT will also produce a post-event technical report and analysis.
Prior to arrival in Frisco, MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase will include a week of virtual education programming for all players, coaches and referees designed to prepare the clubs for their participation.
Teams that do not qualify for the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs have the opportunity to play in the MLS NEXT Cup Showcase, which provides an exposure platform for players to compete in front of college, youth national team, and professional coaches and scouts. All clubs participating in the MLS NEXT Cup Showcase will have three matches in four days. In the evenings, players will be selected to participate in the MLS NEXT Showcase Best Of matches.
Related News
Saint Louis Scott Gallagher appoints Jeff Davis as Boys Program Director
Davis joins SLSG from Kansas City Scott Gallagher.
New England Revolution tab Rob Becerra as Director of Youth Development
Rob Becerra has joined the New England Revolution.
SoccerWire Top 100 Boys Soccer Clubs – April 2021
SoccerWire's Top 100 Boys Soccer Club for April.
ALBION SC Portland unveiled as club’s newest National Affiliate
ALBION SC Portland is the club's newest National Affiliate.
FC Dallas signs 17-year-old Academy product Collin Smith
FC Dallas signed its 32nd Homegrown Player.
Players That Impressed: Dallas Cup U14-U19 Boys Finals
Top performances from the 2021 Dallas Cup.
SOCCERWIRE MARKETPLACE
- Dana Cup Hjørring 2025
- Join Official Elite Summer Soccer Camps with Europe’s Top Pro Clubs!
- Loudoun College Showcase 2025: Earlybird Registration is OPEN NOW
- GET SEEN AT OUR COLLEGE ID CAMP!
- Maryland United College Showcase Series 2025
- The St. James Winter Futsal Program
- Chelsea FC 3v3 Youth Winter Cup
- International Tryout in Spain
- ECNL Girls Goalkeepers Wanted!
- Adidas College Showcase 2024
College Recruiting Commitment Tracker
Featured Players
Geoffrey Shi
COLLEGE RECRUITING STARTS HERE
Join the SoccerWire College Soccer Recruiting Search Engine and learn how to be seen OVER 1 MILLION TIMES PER YEAR.
- Basic $99 – for life
- Featured $299 – for life
- Featured PLUS $399 – for life