Atlanta United Academy teams have wrapped-up the 2023-24 regular season and three squads are set to begin postseason runs this weekend, headlined by the U-15 and U-16 squads at the 2024 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase beginning on Saturday, June 15.
Atlanta United’s U-15 team opens its MLS NEXT Cup Playoff run against New York Red Bulls U-15 at 6:45 p.m. ET on Saturday. The U-15 squad finished its 2023-24 season second in the East (South) Division with a 11-4-3 record (36 points), but secured postseason qualification through MLS NEXT Flex in May after finishing top of the group with a 2-1-0 record. The U-15s will be coached by former University of Virginia standout and Seattle Sounders SuperDraft selection Will Bates during its postseason run.
The Atlanta United U-16 squad will kick off its postseason against Strikers FC U-16 on Saturday at 1:15 p.m. ET. The U-16 team secured its spot in the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs after a top-of-the-table finish in the Southeast Division with a 13-2-1 record (40 points). The U-16s will be led by Bruno Ramos, former Director of Futsal and Advanced Development Program at Richmond Strikers.
Atlanta United’s U-19 team begins its UPSL Playoff run against UMA FC at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET. Atlanta United’s oldest Academy age group earned a postseason berth after an 8-3-1 record in the Spring. The U-19s will be coached by Steve Covino, an original member of the 2016 Atlanta United Academy staff.
22 MLS NEXT Cup Playoff games, including all four championship matches, will stream live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Across the four age groups represented in the playoffs, two round of 32 matches, two round of 16 matches, six quarterfinal games, and each of the eight semifinal contests will also be available to watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
The full schedule for the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase will be available HERE and the final 2023-24 final league standings are available HERE.
The 2024 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs is the culmination of the 2023-24 MLS NEXT season, featuring 32 of the top teams in each of the four different age groups (U-15, U-16, U-17, U-19). All 128 teams qualified for the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs based on results from league play or by winning their respective group at MLS NEXT Flex, a qualifying event that took place from May 10-14.
MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs matches will be 80 minutes in the U-15 age group and 90 minutes in the other three age groups. If the match is tied at the end of regulation, all games will head to penalty kicks, except for the four championship matches, which will feature two five-minute periods of extra time. If the championship matches are still tied after the extra time periods, they will then head to penalty kicks to decide a winner.
Teams that do not qualify for the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs can also participate in the MLS NEXT Cup Showcase. The Showcase provides MLS NEXT players an opportunity to compete in front of hundreds of collegiate, international, and professional coaches and scouts. Clubs who are eliminated in the first two rounds of the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs are also eligible to participate in the Showcase.
