Sporting Kansas City's U-17s and U-15s will conclude the 2023-24 MLS NEXT season with the 2024 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase from June 15-23 in Nashville, Tennessee. For the first time in MLS NEXT history, the 2024 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase in Nashville as the best youth teams across the U.S. and Canada compete to earn the title of MLS NEXT Cup Champions. The single-elimination knockout tournaments will be held at Richard Siegel Soccer Complex in Murfreesboro, Tenn. with all four championship matches contested on Sunday, June 23 at Nashville SCās GEODIS Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. and Canada.
The 2024 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs is the culmination of the 2023-24 MLS NEXT season, featuring 32 of the top teams in each of the four different age groups (U-15, U-16, U-17, U-19). All 128 teams qualified for the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs based on results from league play or by winning their respective group at MLS NEXT Flex, a qualifying event that took place from May 10-14. Entering the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs, almost 9,000 matches have been played during the 2023-24 MLS NEXT season.
MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs matches will be 80 minutes in the U-15 age group and 90 minutes in the other three age groups. If the match is tied at the end of regulation, all games will head to penalty kicks, except for the four championship matches, which will feature two five-minute periods of extra time. If the championship matches are still tied after the extra time periods, they will then head to penalty kicks to decide a winner.
22 MLS NEXT Cup Playoff games, including all four championship matches, will stream live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, the subscription service from Apple and Major League available in more than 100 countries and regions. Across the four age groups represented in the playoffs, two round of 32 matches, two round of 16 matches, six quarterfinal games, and each of the eight semifinal contests will also be available to watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
The U-17s qualified for the playoffs after a perfect showing at Flex in May, defeating Ventura County Fusion, De Anza Force and Atlanta United. They will begin their cup run against the Portland Timbers on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. CT in a single-elimination playoff battle.
The full schedule for the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase will be available HERE and the final 2023-24 final league standings are available HERE.
Teams that do not qualify for the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs can also participate in the MLS NEXT Cup Showcase. The Showcase provides MLS NEXT players an opportunity to compete in front of hundreds of collegiate, international, and professional coaches and scouts. Additionally, the U-13 and U-14 age groups will return this year to compete in the MLS NEXT Cup Showcase. All clubs participating in the MLS NEXT Cup Showcase will play three matches over a four-day span. Clubs who are eliminated in the first two rounds of the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs are also eligible to participate in the Showcase.
Sporting's U-15s will compete in the showcase starting Saturday against the West Florida Flames. They will then face Ventura County Fusion and Rochester NY FC Academy to conclude the competition.
The event will also host five MLS NEXT āBest Ofā matches in which top players from MLS NEXT Cup Showcase teams will compete at the U-13, U-14, U-15, U-16, and U-17/U-18 age groups. These players are selected based on their performance in league play, at MLS NEXT Fest, and at MLS NEXT Flex. The āBest Ofā matches provide a unique opportunity for players to compete against one another as top collegiate, international, and professional coaches evaluate their performances.
Subscribing to MLS Season Pass
MLS Season Pass is available on the Apple TV app for $14.99 (U.S.) per month or $69 (U.S.) for the remainder of the 2024 season. Apple TV+ subscribers can sign up at a special price of $12.99 (U.S.) per month or $59 (U.S.) for the remainder of the 2024 season. A subscription to MLS Season Pass will be included with each full-season ticket account. Through Family Sharing, up to six family members can share the subscription using their own Apple ID and password.
MLS Season Pass is available on billions of devices through the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, and game consoles, as well as on the web at tv.apple.com. Fans can also access MLS Season Pass from the Apple TV app on Apple Vision Pro, where they can watch games alongside other apps in their physical space; within an Environment, so the screen feels 100 feet wide; and in Spatial Audio for an even more immersive viewing experience. To learn more about how to subscribe to MLS Season Pass, visit apple.co/\_MLS\_.
About MLS NEXT
Launched in 2020, MLS NEXT is the most elite platform for youth player development in North America. With a commitment to innovation and providing access and representation, MLS NEXT players receive the best training and coaching as they prepare for their futures, both in soccer and in life. Throughout a season, MLS NEXT hosts four marquee events across the country, including the Generation adidas Cup, which
features MLS academies playing against the top international clubs. Membership for the 2023-24 season includes 29 MLS academies, 114 Elite Academies (143 total clubs), 677 teams and over 15,000 players across the U.S. and Canada. Official partners of MLS NEXT include adidas, Allstate, and DoorDash. For more information about MLS NEXT, visit www.mlssoccer.com/mlsnext.
