MLS Next – The Future of Youth Soccer in North America

If you’re serious about soccer in the U.S. or Canada, you’ve heard the name: MLS Next. It’s more than a league—it’s the future of youth development. And with the 2025 expansion, the platform is bigger, stronger, and more influential than ever.

Launched in 2020, MLS Next is Major League Soccer’s youth development league, bringing together the top academies across North America. In just a few years, it has become the premier environment for youth soccer players who aspire to play professionally.

As of 2025, MLS Next has grown to include over 1,200 teams and nearly every MLS academy, plus top independent clubs. That’s thousands of players competing at the highest level of youth soccer every week.

Professional Pathway: The best youth players are connected directly to MLS clubs and their pro environments.

High Standards: Consistent coaching education, training schedules, and competition formats raise the level across the board.

Talent Visibility: Scouts, college recruiters, and even international clubs monitor MLS Next competition regularly.

This is the league where the next Alphonso Davies, Gio Reyna, and Christian Pulisic will come from.

GoldCleats is already working inside the MLS Next ecosystem, giving academy players tools to capture, edit, and share their match highlights and training sessions with ease. For players, that means:

• Post match-day highlights that stand out.
• Share development clips directly with scouts.
• Track personal growth alongside the league’s toughest competition.

In an environment as competitive as MLS Next, visibility matters as much as performance.

With expansion bringing in more players than ever, the battle for recognition is fierce. But for those who embrace the grind, MLS Next is the gateway to professional soccer in North America.

Whether you’re in the stands, on the field, or grinding in the offseason—the future of the game is here, and it’s called MLS Next.