MLS NEXT Fest 2025 to become largest talent ID event in U.S. with 30,000 players

NEW YORK – With more than 30,000 players, 2025 MLS NEXT Fest kicks off December 4 and will mark the largest youth soccer scouting and talent identification event in the United States.

MLS NEXT Fest is the premier winter showcase event in North American youth soccer and returns to Mesa, Arizona, where it will run from December 4-15. The 12-day event will include 1,474 teams from more than 250 different clubs with 2,400 matches in front of over 500 professional, national team, and college coaches in attendance.

The U15, U16, U17, and U19 age groups from both the MLS NEXT Homegrown Division and Academy Division will compete at the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa, Arizona. For the first time since 2022, the U13 and U14 age groups will return to MLS NEXT Fest and play matches at the Scottsdale Sports Complex, Bell 94 Sports Complex, and Reata Sports Complex. To illustrate the connected pathway from academy to MLS, both MLS NEXT Fest and the MLS College Showcase (December 11-14) will occur simultaneously at the same venue, marking the second instance of this in program history.

2025 MLS NEXT Fest will also include the return of the 2026 Generation adidas Cup Qualifiers in the U16 and U15 age groups. The 2025 version will see an increase from 16 to 32 teams in each age group that will compete in a single-elimination tournament where the winner will earn a spot in the prestigious 2026 Generation adidas Cup. The 32 teams in each age group will earn a spot in the tournament by finishing the fall in the qualifying spots in their division’s power ranking. Additionally, three U15 teams from MLS NEXT Pro academies – Carolina Core FC, Chattanooga FC and CT United FC – will compete against one another at MLS NEXT Fest with the top team qualifying for Generation adidas Cup.

“MLS NEXT Fest brings together the top youth teams from across the United States and Canada, and it continues to stand as the best winter recruiting event in North America,” said MLS NEXT Technical Director Luis Robles. “With the introduction of the MLS NEXT Academy Division this year, we are proud to make this the largest event in our program’s history. We expect more than 1,400 teams from both the Homegrown and Academy divisions to participate, along with nearly 500 college scouts representing approximately 250 collegiate programs in attendance.”

Teams at MLS NEXT Fest will play three games in four days with matches scheduled based on division, past event competition, and standings from the MLS NEXT regular season, allowing clubs to play a variety of opponents from across the country. Players participating in MLS NEXT Fest are also eligible to be selected for MLS NEXT Fest Best Of matches, which consist of two games in the U17 age group on December 7, where top players compete against one another in front of evaluators. There will also be four ‘Uncommitted Matches’ for U19 players who are not yet committed to college, with all four matches occurring on December 6.

The full schedule of MLS NEXT Fest matches will be available HERE.

For the first time, MLS NEXT will introduce the Player Pathway Speaker Series at MLS NEXT Fest. These expert-led sessions on December 6-7 will offer education sessions on player development for players, coaches, administrators, and parents to discuss topics like career next steps, scouting, improving technical standards, and life off the pitch. The Speaker Series will be in addition to various coaching education sessions on December 3-4 that will focus on game modeling, performance analysis, mental health, and more.

Further event integration at MLS NEXT Fest will include an MLS GO mini-pitch on December 6-7, FIFA World Cup 26™ Final Draw and MLS Cup watch parties, the adidas players’ lounge, a state-of-the-art fan zone, expanded retail opportunities, and more.