PARTICIPATING TEAMS
Founded in 2022, the first edition of the National Academy Championships had 68 teams from the country's top academy clubs who participate in the MLS Next Platform compete across three age groups (U16-U19) for the opportunity to be crowned national champion.
Once again, the 2024 event will be held at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and has expanded over two weekends in February with the addition of U13-U15 MLS Next teams along with including U17-U19 National Academy League teams. Please find more information below.
Please review the National Academy Championships Rules
SPIIDEO STREAMING:
All games will be streamed on the Spiideo Play platform for a fee. Games will also be
available for download for a fee. Please forward to your parents and other stakeholders and
promote via your social media platforms.
February 16-19, 2024 | MLS Next U13-U16 Teams
February 23-26, 2024 | MLS Next U17-U19 Teams
February 24-26, 2024 | NAL U17-U19 Teams
MLS Next Rosters:
Online Check-In Requirements | MLS NEXT Teams
Online Check-In Requirements | NAL 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.
Once again, the 2024 event will be held at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and has expanded over two weekends in February with the addition of U13-U15 MLS Next teams along with including U17-U19 National Academy League teams. Please find more information below.
Please review the National Academy Championships Rules
SPIIDEO STREAMING:
All games will be streamed on the Spiideo Play platform for a fee. Games will also be
available for download for a fee. Please forward to your parents and other stakeholders and
promote via your social media platforms.
February 16-19, 2024 | MLS Next U13-U16 Teams
- 4 Games Total | 2x35 minute halves
- Friday-Sunday: Group Matches (one game per day)
- Monday: Championship & Consolation Games
- The first game time slot on Friday will be 9:00 AM
- The last game time slot on Monday will be 2:00 PM
- Accepted Teams
- Schedule
- Tickets: Those included on the team roster do not need to purchase tickets to the 2024 National Academy Championship and NAL Showcase. All other spectators are required to purchase tickets for entry. Children under 10 do not need tickets to the event.
- Roster Information: See Below
February 23-26, 2024 | MLS Next U17-U19 Teams
- 6 games total | 2x30 minute halves
- Friday: Group Matches (round 1 & 2)
- Saturday: Final Group Match & All-Star Game
- Sunday: Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Consolation Games
- Monday: Final & Consolation Games
- The first game time slot on Friday will be 8:00 AM
- The last game time slot on Monday will be 12:00 PM
- Accepted Teams
- Schedule
- Tickets: Those included on the team roster (coaches & players) do not need to purchase tickets to the 2024 National Academy Championship and NAL Showcase. All other spectators are required to purchase tickets for entry. Children under 10 do not need tickets to the event.
- Roster Information: See Below
February 24-26, 2024 | NAL U17-U19 Teams
- 3 Games total | 2x45 minute halves
- Saturday-Monday | One game per day
- The first game time on Saturday will be 9:30 AM
- The last time slot on Monday will be 2:45 PM
- Accepted Teams
- Schedule
- Tickets: Those included on the team roster (coaches & players) do not need to purchase tickets to the 2024 National Academy Championship and NAL Showcase. All other spectators are required to purchase tickets for entry. Children under 10 do not need tickets to the event.
- Roster Information: Via Gotsport following same rules as National Academy League
MLS Next Rosters:
- 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.
- All bio-banding regulations are in effect, so if a player was biobanded in MLS Next they are eligible to be bio-banded in the National Academy Championships.
- You are permitted 20 Players on your game day rosters. 7 substitutions over 3 moments not including half time. Maximum of 2 moments per half. Temporary concussion substitutions do not count toward substitutions or moments
- Please bring your own substitution cards.
- Players who are serving suspension from MLS Next competitions are still eligible to participate. Please write them into your submitted rosters.
- 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. The same applies for MLS Next Future players on NAL rosters - they can only play for one team (MLS Next or NAL) per day.
Online Check-In Requirements | MLS NEXT Teams
- Each coach/player must complete the IMG/NAC Waiver
- Need to upload Kitman Labs MLS Next Roster & MLS Next Match Card to Gotsport
- Please follow these instructions
- U13-U16 Deadline is Wednesday, February 7, 2024
- U17-U19 Deadline is Monday, February 12, 2024
Online Check-In Requirements | NAL Teams
- Each coach/player must complete the IMG/NAC Waiver
- Need to upload State Approved Roster or NAL Roster (with pictures) to Gotsport
- Please follow these instructions
- Event Name is: National Academy Championships 2024 Week 2 - MLS Next U17 & U19
- Event Rosters have been transferred over from National Academy League to National Academy Championships. Please review/edit rosters as needed
- Deadline is Monday, February 12, 2024
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.
