MLS NEXT has announced a major expansion of its competition structure ahead of the 2026–27 season, including new clubs and a realigned conference setup. The league is introducing four new conferences across its Academy Division to optimize scheduling, add regular-season matches, and cut travel costs for participating clubs. This expansion will bring dozens of new youth clubs and at least one new professional side into the fold over the next two seasons.
With this growth, MLS NEXT will now be represented in 40 states plus the District of Columbia, encompassing 318 clubs and more than 53,000 players across its two tiers. Seven new clubs will join the top MLS NEXT Allstate Homegrown Division for 2026–27, including five promoted from the Academy Division after strong competitive and organizational performances.
Wave of new academies
Alongside changes at the top tier, MLS NEXT is opening the doors to a large group of new youth clubs at the Academy Division level. Forty‑seven new clubs have been confirmed for 2026–27, expanding access to elite competition in key markets such as Northern California, where organizations like ALBION SC Merced, Almaden FC, De Anza Force, are among those joining. This influx cements MLS NEXT’s role as one of the largest elite youth soccer platforms in the world and deepens the talent pool feeding professional clubs.
MLS NEXT Pro reaches 30 clubs
On the professional side, MLS NEXT Pro will hit a new benchmark in 2026 with the addition of its 30th club, Connecticut United FC. The independent team becomes the league’s third non-MLS-owned side and will debut as MLS NEXT Pro enters its fifth season. League officials have framed the expansion as part of a broader push to bring professional soccer to more communities while maintaining a clear pathway from youth academies through second teams and into MLS first teams.
The 2026 MLS NEXT Pro campaign will also kick off earlier than ever, starting on February 27 and featuring 420 matches over 30 weeks, a schedule that will run straight through the 2026 FIFA World Cup. More than 230 players have already earned MLS first-team contracts after time in MLS NEXT Pro, and the league’s continued expansion is designed to accelerate that pipeline.
Taken together, the latest announcements highlight how MLS is using expansion not just to add badges and markets, but to fortify a **development** ecosystem that now stretches from local youth clubs to fully professional sides. New conferences and dozens of incoming academies in MLS NEXT are intended to balance competitive standards with travel and financial realities, while a growing MLS NEXT Pro slate offers more professional minutes for emerging players.