MLS Next Pro (MLSNP) is a men's professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that is affiliated with Major League Soccer (MLS). It launched in 2022 with 21 teams and now comprises 27 reserve sides of MLS clubs and three independent clubs (Carolina Core FC, Chattanooga FC and CT United). MLS Next Pro is classified as part of the third tier of the United States soccer league system.
As of the 2026 season, 27 of the 30 MLS teams held affiliations with an MLS Next Pro team, with only CF Montréal, D.C. United, and San Diego FC having no such franchise affiliation.
History
In the mid 2000s, MLS teams began to form their own academies to begin the development of players. In 2005, MLS launched a reserve league with the then 12 teams that competed in MLS. This was an effort to allow games for the players amongst the academies for more meaningful competition.
MLS announced the dissolution of the Reserve League following the partnership formed with then-named USL. This allowed players to get loaned from teams in MLS to play minutes in teams in third division soccer. This was mandatory during the time of affiliation between MLS–USL clubs. During the partnership, teams in MLS began the foundings of their own B teams, or No. 2 teams. First teams among MLS to field B teams were: RSL, LA Galaxy, Toronto FC, and Portland Timbers.
Establishment On June 21, 2021, Major League Soccer announced the creation of a new professional league which would begin play in 2022. MLS has applied to the United States Soccer Federation for the league to be sanctioned as a Division III professional league, the same level currently occupied by USL League One and the National Independent Soccer Association and one level below the USL Championship. MLS announced that Next Pro would start with at least 20 teams, many of them owned by Major League Soccer and development teams between their first-teams and their youth academies. All MLS clubs with reserve teams in the USL Championship or USL League One initially planned to move those sides to MLS Next Pro by 2023. D.C. United's formerly owned-and-operated reserve team was sold to independent buyers.
The inaugural match of MLS Next Pro was played on March 25, 2022, at Hermann Stadium in St. Louis. St. Louis City 2 defeated Rochester New York FC 2–0. Wan Kuzain scored the first ever goal in the 20th minute.
The league makes use of unique rules such as all regular season draws being decided by penalty shootouts and the addition of concussion substitutions. On July 6, 2022, new rules for the league were introduced in the middle of the season. This included an off-field treatment rule meant to curb gamesmanship and timewasting and a new rule for red card suspensions: the suspension a player gets for getting a red card or two yellow cards in the same game will be served by the player when next playing against the same opponent.
MLS Next Pro will transition to a fall-to-spring schedule in 2027.
Competition format The league runs from spring to fall with the season kicking off in March. Each team plays 28 regular-season games, followed by a 16-team playoff tournament. The league is divided into Eastern and Western Conferences.
Unlike Major League Soccer, MLS Next Pro does not feature a salary cap and player contracts are held by the teams, not the league. Team rosters can have up to 24 professional players (not including amateur academy players) with a maximum of seven international players. An MLS Next Pro club's active roster contains up to 35 players, all of whom are eligible for selection to each official match roster during the MLS Next Pro season.
Teams
TeamLocationStadiumCapacityFoundedJoinedHead coachAffiliateNortheast DivisionCT United FC New Haven, Connecticut Morrone Stadium Reese Stadium5,300 3,000 2024 2026 Shavar Thomas Independent Columbus Crew 2 Columbus, Ohio Historic Crew Stadium19,96820212022 Federico Higuaín Columbus Crew FC Cincinnati 2 Highland Heights, Kentucky NKU Soccer Stadium1,00020212022 Sammy Castellanos FC Cincinnati New England Revolution II Foxborough, Massachusetts Gillette Stadium20,00020192022 Pablo Moreira New England Revolution New York City FC II New York City, New York Belson Stadium2,16820212022 Matt Pilkington New York City FC New York Red Bulls II Montclair, New Jersey MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field 5,000 2015 2023 Dominik Wohlert New York Red Bulls Philadelphia Union II Chester, Pennsylvania Subaru Park18,50020152022 Ryan Richter Philadelphia Union Toronto FC II Toronto, Ontario York Lions Stadium4,00020142022 Gianni Cimini Toronto FCSoutheast Division Atlanta United 2 Kennesaw, Georgia Fifth Third Stadium 8,318 2017 2023 José Silva Atlanta United FC Carolina Core FC High Point, North Carolina Truist Point 4,500 2022 2024 Donovan Ricketts Independent Chattanooga FC Chattanooga, Tennessee Finley Stadium 20,412 2009 2024 Richard Dixon Independent Chicago Fire FC II Bridgeview, Illinois SeatGeek Stadium20,00020212022 Mike Matkovich Chicago Fire FC Crown Legacy FC Matthews, North Carolina Sportsplex at Matthews 5,000 2022 2023 Kevin Sawchak Charlotte FC Huntsville City FC Huntsville, Alabama Joe W. Davis Stadium 6,000 2022 2023 Chris O'Neal Nashville SC Inter Miami CF II Fort Lauderdale, Florida Chase Stadium21,55020192022 Cristian Ledesma Inter Miami CF Orlando City B Kissimmee, Florida Osceola County Stadium5,30020152022 Edward Wilding Orlando City SCFrontier Division Austin FC II Austin, Texas Parmer Field 1,000 2022 2023 Jason Shackell Austin FC Colorado Rapids 2 Denver, Colorado Dick's Sporting Goods Park University of Denver Soccer Stadium18,0612,00020212022 Erik Bushey Colorado Rapids Houston Dynamo 2 Houston, Texas SaberCats Stadium3,20020212022 Jeremy Hurdle Houston Dynamo FC Sporting Kansas City II Kansas City, Missouri Swope Soccer Village3,50020152022 Lee Tschantret Sporting Kansas City Minnesota United FC 2 Saint Paul, Minnesota Allianz FieldNational Sports Center 19,4005,50020212022 Fanendo Adi Minnesota United FC North Texas SC Mansfield, Texas Texas Health Mansfield Stadium7,00020182022 John Gall FC Dallas St. Louis City 2 St. Louis, Missouri Energizer Park22,42320212022 David Critchley St. Louis City SCPacific Division Los Angeles FC 2 Fullerton, California Titan Stadium 10,000 2023 2023 Fabian Sandoval Los Angeles FC Portland Timbers 2 Portland, Oregon Providence Park25,21820142022 Jack Cassidy Portland Timbers Real Monarchs Herriman, Utah Zions Bank Stadium5,00020142022 Mark Lowry Real Salt Lake San Jose Earthquakes II Moraga, California Saint Mary's Stadium5,50020212022 Dan DeGeer San Jose Earthquakes Tacoma Defiance Tukwila, Washington Starfire Sports Stadium4,50020142022 Paulo Nagamura Seattle Sounders FC Ventura County FC Thousand Oaks, California William Rolland Stadium 2,000 2014 2023 Matt Taylor LA Galaxy Whitecaps FC 2 Burnaby, British Columbia Swangard Stadium5,22820212022 Rich Fagan Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Future teams +TeamLocationStadiumCapacityFoundedJoiningAffiliateJacksonville Armada FCJacksonville, FloridaNew Eastside Stadium8,00020132027IndependentForest City ClevelandCleveland, OhioSouth Gateway Stadium10,00020222027AC Grand RapidsGrand Rapids, MichiganAmway Stadium8,50020242027The Island F.C.Long Island, New YorkNew Stadium at Mitchel Athletic Complex2,50020252027
Former teams + Club City Stadium Capacity Founded Joined Last season Affiliate Rochester New York FC Brighton, New York John L. DiMarco Field1,500199620222022Independent
Timeline
Champions SeasonPlayoff championsRegular season champions2022Columbus Crew 2Columbus Crew 22023Austin FC IIColorado Rapids 2 2024North Texas SCNorth Texas SC 2025 New York Red Bulls IISt. Louis City 2 2026Austin FC II
Finals YearWinnerScoreRunner-upVenueAttendance2022Columbus Crew 24–1St. Louis City 2Lower.com FieldMarco Micaletto (CC2)7,4462023Austin FC II3–1Columbus Crew 2Lower.com FieldValentin Noël (AU2)7,5002024North Texas SC3–2Philadelphia Union IIToyota StadiumHerbert Endeley (NTX)7,6922025New York Red Bulls II3–3Colorado Rapids 2Sports Illustrated StadiumRafael Mosquera (NYR)9,095
Individual game highest attendance Regular season Home team Score Away team Attendance Stadium Date Ref 1 St. Louis City 2 3–1 Houston Dynamo 2 12,263 Energizer Park 2 St. Louis City 2 5–0 Tacoma Defiance 12,022 CityPark 3 St. Louis City 2 2–0 Sporting Kansas City II 10,671 CityPark 4 St. Louis City 2 4–1 LA Galaxy II 9,626 CityPark 5 St. Louis City 2 4–0 Real Monarchs 9,489 CityPark 6 The Town FC 0–0 Austin FC II 5,500 PayPal Park
MLS Next Pro Cup playoffs Home team Score Away team Attendance Stadium Date Ref 1 New York Red Bulls II 3–3 Colorado Rapids 2 9,095 Sports Illustrated Stadium 2 North Texas SC 3–2 Philadelphia Union II 7,692 Toyota Stadium 3 Columbus Crew 2 1–3 Austin FC II 7,500 Lower.com Field 4 Columbus Crew 2 4–1 St. Louis City 2 7,446 Lower.com Field 5 St. Louis City 2 0–2 San Jose Earthquakes II 5,227 CityPark 6 Philadelphia Union II 4–0 Columbus Crew 2 4,727 Subaru Park Key MLS Next Pro Cup Conference Final Conference Semifinal Otherwise, it is a previous knockout round
See also MLS Next MLS Reserve League (2005–2014)
References
External links