FC Dallas Academy U15,16,17 and 18/19 Teams to Compete in MLS NEXT Fest 2024 

FC Dallas Academy U15,16,17 and 18/19 teams will kick off MLS NEXT Fest, the premier winter showcase event in North American youth soccer, on Friday, December 6 at the Empire Polo Ground in Indio, California. The tournament runs through Wednesday, December 11. MLS NEXT Fest provides an opportunity for top talent within the program to be evaluated by college, national team, and professional scouts.

FC Dallas U15 Schedule

• FC Dallas vs. Los Angeles Galaxy (Dec. 8 - 3:30 PM)
• FC Dallas vs. LAFC (Dec. 10 - 1 PM)
• FC Dallas vs Charlotte FC (Dec. 11 - 1 PM)

FC Dallas U16 Schedule

• FC Dallas vs. Philadelphia Union (Dec. 8 - 12:15 PM)
• FC Dallas vs. CF Montréal (Dec. 10 - 4:30 PM)
• FC Dallas vs. Orlando City SC (Dec. 11 - 4:30 PM)

FC Dallas U17 Schedule

• FC Dallas vs. Silicon Valley Soccer Academy (Dec. 6 - 3:30 PM)
• FC Dallas vs. LAFC (Dec. 7 10:30 AM)
• FC Dallas vs. Inter Miami CF (Dec. 9 - 1 PM)

FC Dallas U19 Schedule

• FC Dallas vs. Atlanta United FC (Dec. 6 - 12:15 PM)
• FC Dallas vs. D.C. United (Dec. 7 - 2:30 PM)
• FC Dallas vs. Barça Residency Academy (Dec. 9 - 10 AM)

For the first time in the event’s history, MLS NEXT Fest will feature an opportunity for MLS NEXT Elite Academies to qualify for the 2025 Generation adidas Cup. Sixteen teams in both the U16 and U19 age groups will compete in a single-elimination tournament where the winner will earn a spot in the illustrious Generation adidas Cup. The 16 teams in each age group earned a spot in the qualifying tournament by finishing the fall in the top two of their division’s power rankings. The power rankings were compiled through an analytical formula that considered strength of schedule and points earned among other factors and were published weekly on MLS NEXT’s social media accounts.

The MLS NEXT Fest Showcase will have teams in four different age groups (U15, U16, U17, and U19) playing three games in four days. Matches are scheduled based on division, past event competition, and standings from the MLS NEXT regular season to allow clubs to play a variety of different teams from across the country. Players participating in MLS NEXT Fest are also eligible to be selected for MLS NEXT Fest Best Of matches, which consists of three games across the U15, U16, and U17 age groups from Dec. 8-9 in which top players compete against one another in front of evaluators.

Additionally, MLS NEXT will also feature two ‘Uncommitted Matches’ on December 8, which will provide a unique opportunity for college coaches to evaluate some of the top players in the U19 age group who have not yet made their collegiate decisions. The Uncommitted Matches will be held in an East vs. East and West vs. West format with 22 players per team.