Our move to the MLS NEXT platform gives our top two teams in the U13-U19 boys age groups much more than just league competition – it delivers quality matches, closer travel, significantly enhanced exposure, and personal development opportunity offered nowhere else.

Beyond regular season games, you'll get access to exclusive MLS NEXT ID events that attract the highest quality coaches in the country. You'll perform in front of crowds and the best-of-the-best in youth soccer at MLS NEXT regional tournaments and national events.

Let's be clear about the exposure: you get unmatched access to scouts who specifically target platforms like MLS NEXT, regardless of tier. The MLS NEXT brand draws quality attention that other leagues simply can't match.

At every event, you'll be actively evaluated by scouts from diverse soccer organizations - college, pre-professional, and professional - leading to tangible opportunities like tryouts, scholarships, and contracts. This visibility isn't just about being seen; it's about being properly assessed. The sheer number of coaches that MLS NEXT attracts ensures you're evaluated by multiple expert perspectives rather than just a handful of observers.

This level of competition stands apart. MLS NEXT isn't a league anyone can join – we had to pass thorough inspection, apply, and be specifically invited to participate. This attention to detail by MLS itself guarantees you'll only play against quality opposition. This means your talent ID happens while competing against top-tier competition that's been carefully vetted – not just any team with the financial means to join.

With this platform comes responsibility. We've already taken significant steps over the last 4 years to consolidate our curriculum so EVERY team benefits from elite coaching. We've merged player pools so age groups practice together, creating opportunities for guest playing, advancement between teams, and finding the optimal player-coach match to maximize your potential.

But we can't remain static – competing at this level requires continuously raising our standards. This means you benefit directly from our coaching staff's commitment to developing high-level training, conditioning, and competitive scenarios.

That also means that our coaching staff has improved remarkably in this transition. We've brought in former MLS Sporting KC first team players, a nutrition/SAQ staff for physical improvement off the field, and a team of coaches who have been around the block so you and your athlete can get the guidance you need to make decisions that are best for YOUR future.

We don't want it to get lost that this move is all about YOU! We worked hard to partner with Sporting KC on the SDL so a move like this could happen for YOU. So you and your player can get the exposure and opportunity he desires, to play at any level. It's now all possible, and the experience of our coaching staff & the guidance from some new faces on our boys side is there solely to benefit you and your athlete.

Perhaps most powerfully, this transition establishes a clear, direct path to the Sporting Kansas City first team. You now have a structured opportunity to play at the highest level of soccer in the United States. While this pathway has always existed and has been traveled by hundreds of players since our founding, there is now a CLEAR progression from Sporting Blue Valley through organizations like Sporting KC Academy and Sporting KC Second Team, providing genuine opportunity to reach the MLS First-Team.

For example, former Sporting Blue Valley player Jacob Bartlett, who this February competed against Lionel Messi, one of the greatest players in the history of our sport. Jacob began here and reached soccer's pinnacle without this structured pathway. Imagine what's possible with this stepping stone now in place!

It's important to understand that professional play represents just one potential outcome. We recognize that Sporting KC first team isn't the objective for everyone – and that's perfectly fine.

Our pathway now provides clear progression to whatever level aligns with your ambitions, allowing you to advance as far as you aspire:

• Want to play at this elite level and conclude your soccer journey at 18? You can do that!

• Aiming for NCAA or NAIA collegiate competition? The unparalleled ID opportunities through MLS NEXT provide exclusive access to college recruitment events.

• Interested in USL or SKC II competition? The path is clearly defined.

The foundation is now established – which means there's nothing preventing you from advancing as far along this pathway as your dedication and talent will take you.

NOW TO THE ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS OF MLS NEXT COMPETITION TIER MEMBERSHIP:

Beyond regular competition, MLS NEXT membership provides access to specialized Talent ID events where college, professional, and national team scouts evaluate players in structured environments designed to showcase skills through targeted drills, scrimmages, and competitive situations against premier opposition.

Qualifying teams earn invitations to MLS NEXT Fest in December, a prestigious national event reserved for teams advancing through league play and regional qualifiers. This showcase places athletes directly before elite identification scouts from across the country.

Additionally, teams may qualify for the MLS NEXT Cup in 2026, competing against regional qualifiers for national championship honors.