The 2024 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase will kick off on June 15, bringing together the best youth teams vying for the title of MLS NEXT Cup Champions. The single-elimination knockout tournaments will be held from June 15 to June 23 at Richard Siegel Soccer Complex in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The four championship matches will take place on Sunday, June 23, at Nashville SC’s GEODIS Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. and Canada.
The playoffs mark the culmination of the 2023-24 MLS NEXT season, featuring 32 top teams in four age groups: U-15, U-16, U-17, and U-19. A total of 128 teams qualified for the playoffs based on their performance during league play or by winning their respective group at MLS NEXT Flex, a qualifying event held from May 10-14. Nearly 9,000 matches have been played over the 2023-24 MLS NEXT season leading up to this event.
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Matches will be 80 minutes for the U-15 group and 90 minutes for the other age groups. If tied at the end of regulation, games will proceed to penalty kicks, except for the championship matches, which will have two five-minute periods of extra time. If still tied, these matches will also go to penalty kicks to determine a winner.
Twenty-two MLS NEXT Cup Playoff games, including all four championship matches, will be streamed live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Across the four age groups, two round-of-32 matches, two round-of-16 matches, six quarterfinal games, and all eight semifinal contests will also be available to watch on the platform.
The full schedule is available here, and the final 2023-24 league standings are available here.
In 2023, four different MLS clubs won championships in their age groups: U-15 New York Red Bulls, U-16 Atlanta United, U-17 LA Galaxy, and U-19 New England Revolution. Notable players who have previously competed in MLS NEXT Cup and now star in MLS include Inter Miami CF’s Benjamin Cremaschi and New York Red Bulls’ Julian Hall.
Teams that do not qualify for the playoffs can participate in the MLS NEXT Cup Showcase, providing an opportunity to compete in front of collegiate, international, and professional coaches and scouts. The U-13 and U-14 age groups will also compete in the Showcase, with all participating clubs playing three matches over four days. Teams eliminated in the first two rounds of the playoffs are eligible for the Showcase as well.
Additionally, the event will feature five MLS NEXT ‘Best Of’ matches, where top players from Showcase teams will compete in front of evaluators from collegiate, international, and professional realms.
Launched in 2020, MLS NEXT is the elite platform for youth player development in North America, featuring 29 MLS academies, 114 Elite Academies, 677 teams, and over 15,000 players across the U.S. and Canada. For more information about MLS NEXT, visit www.mlssoccer.com/mlsnext.
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2024 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs Details Announced
The 2024 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs are scheduled from June 15-23 at the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex, with championship matches on June 23 at GEODIS Park, featuring 32 top teams in four age groups following nearly 9,000 season matches. Fans can watch 22 playoff games live on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV. Full schedules and standings are available HERE and HERE.