September 7: MLS NEXT begins its seventh season, and the numbers behind it show how far the league has come as a player path despite the fragmented youth market in the US.
Launched in 2020, the youth development setup now underpins much of the American game, bringing together the best clubs, coaches and players under one roof. This year has a second season with two tiers, the MLS NEXT Allstate Homegrown Division and the MLS NEXT Academy Division, expanding the field for elite clubs and players.
Alumni numbers show that this season 1,661 players who competed in MLS NEXT last year will participate in college soccer, while 162 graduates are on MLS rosters and 30 homegrown players have already made their MLS debuts. Since the Home Player Rule began in 2008, 483 players developed in MLS have logged at least one regular season game and home minutes have increased by 82% since 2024.
“MLS NEXT continues to be the standard for youth player development in North America,” said Ali Curtis, president of MLS NEXT Pro. “We remain committed to supporting young players with the opportunity to grow, compete and take meaningful steps forward.”
The league is also data-driven. A partnership with analytics platform Taka powers the Quality of Play rankings at U13 and U14, and this season all clubs have premium access to Taka, offering players individual highlights and development plans.
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at (email protected)