The FC Cincinnati Academy’s U15 and U17 squads head to Texas for the 2022 Generation adidas Cup at the Toyota Soccer Center at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas beginning Saturday, April 9.
All 28 current MLS clubs will have academy representation in both divisions, while 2023 MLS expansion side St. Louis CITY SC will field a team in the U17 division. Adding to the largest field in the 13-year history of the Generation adidas Cup are 23 international teams from some of the largest clubs in the global game. Represented in both the U15 and U17 divisions are Manchester United of the Premier League, River Plate of the Argentine Primera División, Celtic of the Scottish Premiership and Flamengo of Serie A.
“Every year Generation adidas Cup is the ultimate competition for MLS academy teams,” said Larry Sunderland, FC Cincinnati’s Director of Player Development. “This competition not only pits us against other MLS academies but it allows us to judge ourselves against some of the top academies from around the world. This time no different as our teams will face Celtic and Club Tijuana in the opening round. We are looking very forward to it.”
Forty teams, divided into 10 groups of four, will compete in each of the two age divisions. MLS club seeding was determined by Generation adidas Cup Qualifiers at the inaugural MLS NEXT Fest in December 2021. Each team will play three group matches to determine qualification for the knockout round.
Sixteen teams will qualify for the winner’s side of the draw with winning teams advancing to play in a bracket-style elimination format. All teams competing in GA Cup are guaranteed to compete in seven matches and matches will be 60 minutes in length, comprised of two 30-minute halves. Select matches played inside Toyota Stadium, the home of FC Dallas, will feature 35-minute halves.
The U15 Orange and Blue are in Group D alongside the academies of MLS foes Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas and the Club Tijuana Academy of Liga MX.
The U17 squad are in Group H of their competition with the academies of Atlanta United FC and New England Revolution, as well as with Scottish Premiership side Celtic’s Academy. FCC Academy’s game against Celtic will be one of 16 group stage games streamed live on MLS Twitch and YouTube.
The full FC Cincinnati Academy schedule is listed below (All times Eastern)
U15 Schedule (Group D)
Sat., April 9 – vs. Club Tijuana – 2 p.m.
Sun., April 10 – vs. Real Salt Lake – 8 p.m.
Mon., April 11 – vs. FC Dallas – 10 p.m.
U17 Schedule (Group H)
Sun., April 10 – vs. New England Revolution – 4 p.m.
Mon., April 11 – vs. Atlanta United FC – 12 p.m.
Tue., April 12 – vs. Celtic – 10 a.m. (Streamed live on MLS Twitch and YouTube)
For the latest information on the FC Cincinnati Academy, follow the program on Twitter @FCCincyAcademy and visit the academy’s website at fccincinnati.com/academy.
For up-to-the-minute information about FC Cincinnati, 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 on the Apple App Store or Google Play for instant access to mobile tickets, team content and match notifications.
ABOUT MLS NEXT
MLS NEXT is a new paradigm for player development, launched in 2020 to transform youth soccer in North America. Founded on a collaborative approach to governance and a commitment to innovation, MLS NEXT players have access to the highest level of competition, training and personal development opportunities that will prepare them for their futures, both in soccer and in life. Membership for the 2021-22 season includes 133 clubs, 598 teams and over 12,000 players across the U.S. and Canada.
