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MLS NEXT coverage
Weekly recaps, tournament previews, ranking breakdowns, and player spotlights from across MLS NEXT.
4 stories · Tournament Preview
Around the League
Tournament Preview · 4 stories
A full MLS NEXT Cup preview breaking down the strongest title profiles, bracket outlooks, contender tiers, and players to watch across U13 through U19.
MLS NEXT Flex 2026 is set, and the draw is already deciding who survives. We break down the hardest groups, safest paths, and which contenders face the toughest three-game road to MLS NEXT Cup.
Generation adidas Cup opens this weekend in Bradenton, Florida, and the boys side of the event always asks better questions than a normal preview can answer. This is not just another showcase. It is the kind of tournament that forces academies to deal with pressure quickly, whether that pressure comes from a major international opponent, an unfamiliar outsider, or the expectation that comes with trying to prove depth across two age groups at once.
A complete breakdown of how U13 and U14 teams qualify for the MLS NEXT Cup, including conference seeding, bracket structure, match format, and the April 26 qualification deadline.