MLS NEXT made the groundbreaking announcement on Wednesday, as they look to promote development at the youth levels
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MLS NEXT unveils new quality of play rankingsAimed to promote youth developmentImplemented at U13, U14 levelsGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowWHAT HAPPENED?
MLS NEXT has unveiled Quality of Play rankings for the U13 and U14 age groups for the first time, with an aim to focus on complete performance results of individuals and teams. The pilot program marks the first time both age groups will be ranked on this metric, rather than traditional rankings od win-draw-loss.
The Quality of Play rankings will be calculated via Taka's analytical formula that elevates gameplay, focusing on a club's offensive and defensive actions during a match.
“At Major League Soccer, one of our core objectives is to develop the next generation of talent to positively impact the professional game,” said MLS NEXT Technical Director Luis Robles. “For younger age groups, we prioritize their individual development over competition, though we acknowledge competition’s role in personal growth. This pilot program allows us to evaluate both team and individual performance, helping us track progress while providing more support for players to achieve their goals.”
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The implementation of the rankings is designed to promote development among younger age groups, rather than placing focus and emphasis on certain athletic traits and strict results that can disproportionately impact games at these age groups.
Taka itself is a platform for played and coaches that utilizes technology and professional analysts to elevate the youth game. Taka provides athletes with personalized highlights and exposure, while – for coaches- streamlines elevated analysis. The platform currently has over 50,000 athlete profiles, 20,000 analyzed games and 6 million individual highlights.
The updated rankings can be found here.
DID YOU KNOW?
MLS NEXT released a groundbreaking new competition tier in 2025, that is slated to kickoff in September, 2025. The tier will also allow players to play High School Soccer.
WHAT NEXT?
MLS NEXT's premier youth tournament, the Generation Adidas Cup, begins in less than a months time. It will feature 80 teams, representing 14 countries and four continents. International clubs like FC Bayern, Inter Milan and Palmeiras will be among those competing against MLS academies at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida from April 12-20.
