2026 | U13-U15 MLS NEXT HG & U13-U16 MLS NEXT AD RULES

Match Competition
  • U13-U15 MLS NEXT HG and U13-U16 MLS NEXT AD | All teams play 3 group matches | All teams play a 4th match on Monday determined by final group standings 

Uniforms:
  • Home Team wears light color uniforms
  • Away Team wears dark color uniforms 
  • If there is a conflict, it is the home team's responsibility to change

Match Length & Field Size:
  • U13-U14 MLS NEXT: 2x35 minute halves ​
  • U15-U16 MLS NEXT: 2x40 minute halves 
  • Of note, the NAC will follow MLS NEXT guidelines for U13 Field dimensions. 
Match Ball:
  • Size 5 Official match ball must be used for U14-U15 MLS NEXT matches
  • Size 4 Official match ball must be used for U13 MLS NEXT matches
Video Equipment:
  • All games will be streamed through Spiideo
  • No Clubs/teams are allowed to bring their own equipment 

MLS NEXT U13-U16 Roster Rules
  • Only MLS NEXT players are eligible to participate in the National Academy Championships. Full time and Future players are eligible if they are registered for MLS NEXT and show up on your Kitman Lab Rosters.
    • ​Homegrown registered players can only play in Homegrown Division
    • Academy registered players can only play in Academy Division
  • All bio-banding (late-developers) regulations are in effect, so if a player is a late developer in MLS NEXT they are eligible to be bio-banded in the National Academy Championships.
  • Please bring your own substitution cards.
  • Players who are serving suspension from MLS NEXT competitions are still eligible to participate. 
  • Players may participate on multiple teams (age appropriate only) but can only play in one team / age group per day. Players can not play in two different age groups on the same day. Your game day rosters must show such players and hence players are team / age group locked per day
  • Only 5 Coaches are allowed in the technical area during a game and they must be listed on the Match Card

MLS NEXT HG U13-U15 & U13-U16 AD Roster Size & Substitution
  • ​No Guest Players Allowed
  • You are permitted 20 players on your match day rosters, and all 20 can participate in the match.
  • Unlimited substitution over 3 moments per half not including half time. No re-entry per half
  • Temporary concussion substitutions do not count toward substitutions or moments.
  • Concussion Protocol: A player who is suspected to have suffered a head injury may be substituted while being evaluated.  The substitution for the evaluation of the concussion/head injury will not count against the team's total number of substitution moments in the half. 
    • If the player is deemed by the on-site Athletic Trainer to not have suffered a concussion, the player may re-enter the match at any stoppage of play and must replace the original substitute; this head injury evaluation will not count as a substitute moment.  
    • If the player is not cleared to return to play by the on-site Athletic Trainer, the replacement player will no longer be considered a temporary substitute. 
  • Please find below Online & Onsite Roster Check-in Requirements

Disciplinary Actions
The National Academy Championships will follow standard rules and guidelines regarding issuing yellow and red cards. There will be no exceptions for removing suspensions throughout the tournament. 

Players Equipment
  • All players equipment must conform to FIFA rules.
  • All players must wear shin guards (under their socks) 
  • Orthopedic casts are not permitted; however soft braces can be worn with written approval from a doctor, and judgement as to safety is at the discretion of the referee who is the ultimate authority (NO HARD CAST). 

National Academy Championship Tiebreakers
Teams will be awarded points on the following basis:
  • Three (3) points for each Win
  • One (1) point for each Tie
  • Zero (0) points for each Loss

In the event of a tie in points at the end of bracket play, the winner for advancement will be determined as follows:
  1. Result in Head-To-Head Game (only applicable if tied on points between two teams; if three team tie move to tie breaker number 2)
  2. Goal differential in all group matches (total). 
  3. Goals against in all group matches (total)
  4. Goals scored in all group matches (total)

    If a tie still exists after steps 1 through 4, an IFAB “Penalty shoot-out” will be executed 

**In the event of a 3 team tie, once one team advances by the process above, the tie breaker moves back to tiebreaker point number 1 and moves through until the next seed is determined.

Any game that must identify a winner but ends in a tie (at the end of regulation time) shall proceed directly to a “Penalty shoot-out” to determine the winner (no overtime periods). “Penalty shoot-out” will be governed by the IFAB Laws of the Game. Only the players on the field at the end of regulation are permitted to be chosen to take penalty kicks. Games played in a Group Play / Round-Robin format can end in a tie. 

Knockout Round Procedure
  • At U13-U15 HG and U13-U16 AD - if the 1st place game is tied after regulation, the game will go straight to penalty kicks (best of 5 and then sudden death). All other games will remain and be recorded as a draw. ​

Online Check-In Requirements | MLS NEXT Teams​
On-Site Check-In
We require each team participating in the National Academy Championships to send one representative to check in at the Tournament Headquarters before your first match. Tournament HQ will be located in Meeting Space 201 of the Soccer Complex building. To be pointed in the correct direction, please stop by the ticketing tent at the main entrance and ask where Tournament HQ is for team check-in. Upon checking in, we will review your rosters to ensure accuracy and give you a packet of team credentials to distribute to all rostered team members.