The young stars of MLS and MLS NEXT will once again face off against the best youth teams in the world.
Both leagues today announced the details of the Generation adidas Cup 2023, a youth tournament with representation from all MLS academies and the training levels of some of the best-known clubs in the world. A record number of 49 different teams – hailing from 12 countries and four continents – will play between April 1 and 9 in the Under-15 and Under-17 categories at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
PLATFORM FOR FUTURE GLOBAL FIGURES
Twelve players who participated in previous editions of the Generation adidas Cup were part of
the rosters of their teams in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, eight of them in the National Team of
USA.
Among them, Brendan Aaronson (Philadelphia Union/Leeds United), Kelly’s Acosta (FC Dallas/LAFC), Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls/Leeds United), y Jesus Ferreira (FC Dallas). In addition, the World Champion in Qatar 2022 Julian Alvarez (Manchester City), who was the top scorer for River Plate (Argentina) when the South American club won the Under-17 category in 2017.
FOLLOW THE GENERATION ADIDAS CUP 2023 THROUGH MLS SEASON PASS
Twenty-eight matches from the Generation adidas Cup, including the finals of both categories, will be available through MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app. Those matches will reach fans in more than 100 countries and territories around the world.
The 29 MLS clubs will be represented with teams from their academies in the Under-17 and Under-15 categories. Additionally, Strikers FC (Irvine, California) will compete in the Under-17 tournament.
In the 2022 edition of the GA Cup, MLS teams won the Under-17 (Seattle Sounders FC) and Under-15 (Portland Timbers) divisions for the first time in the competition’s 14-year history. Sounders FC’s Under-17 side have won the event on the last two occasions the tournament has been held (2022, 2019), and are looking to join River Plate (2015, 2017) as the only clubs to do so for the third time. time.
“The Generation adidas Cup brings together a world-class pool of youth talent from around the globe and provides an exceptional competitive environment for MLS NEXT participating clubs,” said Fred Lipka, MLS Vice President of Youth and Player Development. “Top-tier international competition is an important catalyst in developing talent and the 80 participating teams will provide an incredible opportunity for everyone involved.”
For the first time in the 14-year history of the Generation adidas Cup, 19 of the most prestigious international clubs will compete in the Under-17 and Under-15 divisions. Among those teams that will play in Bradenton are Arsenal FC (England), Boca Juniors (Argentina), Chelsea FC (England), Manchester United FC (England), Palmeiras (Brazil), Remo Stars (Nigeria) and Real Madrid CF (Spain). .
In addition, the basic forces of the MLS and LIGA MX teams will face each other in the Generation adidas Cup in 2023: on the Mexican side they will be Atlas (Sub-17), America club (Sub-15 y Sub-17), Club Leon (Sub-17), C.F. Monterrey (Sub-15) y UNAM Cougars (Under-15 and Under-17). In 2022, Tigres UANL became the first LIGA MX club to reach the Under-17 final, losing 2-0 to Seattle Sounders FC.
Forty teams, divided into 10 groups with four participants, will compete in each of the two age divisions. The distribution of MLS clubs was determined by the Generation adidas Cup qualifying matches during MLS NEXT Fest in December 2022.
Each team will play three group matches to determine qualification for the knockout round. Sixteen teams will qualify for the winning side of the toss with the winning teams advancing to play in a bracket-style elimination format. All teams competing in the Generation adidas Cup are guaranteed to play seven 60-minute matches, made up of two 30-minute halves.
Following the completion of the tournament, prizes will be awarded in each of the two age categories to the Most Valuable Player, the Generation adidas Cup Top Scorer, as well as the Generation adidas Cup Best Goalkeeper, presented by Allstate. There will also be a Generation adidas Cup All Team, presented by BODYARMOR, highlighting the best MLS academy players at each position.
INTERNATIONAL TEAMS IN THE SUB-17 CATEGORY
– Atlas (Mexico)
– Boca Juniors (Argentina)
– Club America (Mexico)
– Club Leon (Mexico)
– Flamengo (Brazil)
– Manchester United FC (Inglaterra)
– Palm trees (Brazil)
– Pumas UNAM (Mexico)
– Remo Stars FC (Nigeria)
– River Plate (Argentina)
INTERNATIONAL TEAMS IN THE SUB-15 CATEGORY
– Arsenal FC (England)
– Chelsea FC (England)
– Club America (Mexico)
– Club Bolivar (Bolivia)
– KRC Genk (Belgium)
– C.F. Monterrey (México)
– FC Nordsjælland (Dinamarca)
– Pumas UNAM (Mexico)
– Real Madrid CF (Spain)
– Toulouse FC (France)
– Valencia CF (Spain)
MLS NEXT MATCH EVALUATORS PROGRAM
During the Generation adidas Cup 2023, MLS NEXT will collaborate with US Soccer by running a specialized initial talent identification and recruiting course that will be available through the MLS NEXT Match Evaluator Program.
Upon successful completion of this pilot course, MLS NEXT match evaluators will receive a US Soccer Talent Scout Level 2 license. Launched in the summer of 2023, the MLS NEXT Match Evaluation Program has welcomed former and current professional players who are interested in learning more about scouting and player analysis in the MLS NEXT landscape. Match Evaluators participate in educational programming and receive recruiting assignments at various MLS NEXT events.
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AS A COACH IN THE GENERATION ADIDAS CUP
Major League Soccer, in conjunction with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) Department of Coach Education, will offer two in-person training opportunities during the Generation adidas Cup. The MLS Coaching Education Development Pathway , led by US Soccer Director of Coach Education Didier Chambaron, will help further educate the nearly 60 MLS academy coaches who intend to become USSF coaching license educators in the future.
MLS will also provide additional development opportunities for coaches in the MLS NEXT community through Continuing Professional Development (CPD). These educational sessions will be led by MLS Vice President of Player Development Fred Lipka, MLS Player Development consultant and former French National Head Coach Jean-Claude Giuntini, US Soccer Director of Coach Education , Didier Chambaron, and several MLS academy coaches and graduates of the Elite Training Coaching License.