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The U15, U17 and U19 teams of the FC Cincinnati Academy will travel west to the first MLS NEXT Fest, where over 300 of the best youth teams from the USA and Canada will compete in the MLS NEXT Fest Showcase and the Generation adidas Cup Qualifiers from Friday December 3 at the SilverLakes Sports Complex in Norco, California.
The MLS NEXT Fest Showcase consists of over 260 MLS NEXT teams in four age groups (U15, U16, U17 and U19). All teams will play three games in four days and will be placed in groups based on their performance in the fall portion of the regular MLS NEXT season 2021-22.
Selected games of the FC Cincinnati Academy in the age groups U15 and U17 will also serve as qualifiers for the Generation adidas Cup, in which 45 MLS Academies will compete for placement in the next generation adidas Cup.
“We’re excited to travel to California to compete against the best MLS clubs and elite youth clubs in the country,” said Larry Sunderland, director of player development for Cincinnati FC. “It’s always a great event when you can bring like-minded footballers together in one place. In addition, for the MLS clubs this is an event for our U15 and U17, where we will fight for placement in the GA Cup this spring. This can enable us to compete against some of the best academy programs around the world, and that’s where we want to be. “
The MLS NEXT Fest offers North America’s top up-and-coming talent the opportunity to be seen by colleges, national teams, and professional coaches, scouts, and evaluators in a one-of-a-kind location. Notable attendees include Tony Lepore, Director of Talent Identification at US Soccer, and his staff, youth national team coaches, as well as a number of college coaches. In addition, Norco will be attended by more than a dozen MLS NEXT game evaluators, a curated group of MLS greats, and current and former players who rate MLS NEXT games to assess game quality and identify top talent.
Players who take part in the MLS NEXT Fest Showcase can also be selected for the MLS NEXT Fest Best Of Matches, in which two games from selected players from across the MLS NEXT are played on Saturday and Sunday evenings.
The full schedule of the FC Cincinnati Academy is listed below (all times Pacific)
U15 schedule (group 13)
Fri, Dec 3 – vs. Chicago Sockers FC – 8:00 a.m.
Sat., Dec. 4 – vs. LAFC – 2 p.m.
Mon, December 6 – vs. New England Revolution – 10 a.m.
U17 schedule (Group A)
Fri., Dec. 3 – vs. DC United – 10 a.m.
Sat., Dec. 4 – vs. LAFC – 10 a.m.
Mon, Dec 6 – vs. Austin FC – 12 noon
U19 schedule (group 7)
Sat, December 4 – vs. Sporting Kansas City – 6 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 5 – vs. FC DELCO – 8 a.m.
Tuesday, December 7th – vs. nomads – 10 a.m.
For the full schedule of games and activities for the week by age group and event, please click here.
For the latest information on the FC Cincinnati Academy, follow the program on Twitter @FCCincyAcademy and visit the academy website at fccincinnati.com/academy.
For the latest information on Cincinnati FC, visit the team’s official website at fccincinnati.com or follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FCCincinnati. Additionally, fans are encouraged to download the team’s official mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play for instant access to mobile tickets, team content and game notifications.
MLS NEXT is a new player development paradigm launched in 2020 to transform youth football in North America. Based on a collaborative governance approach and a commitment to innovation, MLS NEXT players have access to the highest levels of competition, training and personal development opportunities that prepare them for their future in both football and life. Membership for the 2021-22 season includes 133 clubs, 598 teams, and over 12,000 players in the US and Canada.
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