For the third consecutive season, all four Barca Residency Academy MLS NEXT teams have qualified for the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs, continuing a remarkable run of consistency and excellence at the highest level of youth soccer in North America.
Barca Residency Academy’s U15, U16, and U19 squads punched their tickets to the postseason by winning their respective groups at MLS NEXT Flex, the league’s premier qualifying event. The Academy’s U17s later secured their playoff berth by clinching the Southwest Division title over the weekend, while the U19s capped off an impressive campaign by also capturing the division crown.
With the accomplishment, Barca Residency Academy becomes one of just two academies in the country to have all four eligible teams qualify for the 2026 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs. Even more impressively, Barca Residency Academy stands alone as the only academy to achieve the feat in each of the past three consecutive seasons. The achievement reflects the Academy’s continued commitment to player development, competitive excellence, and maintaining a culture that pushes players and staff to perform at the highest standard year after year.
The achievement reflects the Academy’s continued commitment to player development, competitive excellence, and maintaining a culture that pushes players and staff to perform at the highest standard year after year.
The 2025-26 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase—the pinnacle of the season—will take place May 23-31 at the Regional Athletics Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah, culminating in championship matches at Real Salt Lake’s America First Field. This event features the top youth academy teams following the regular season and qualifying tournaments, competing for the coveted 2025-26 Champion Title.
