Barca Residency Academy standout Ezra VanCleave has been selected as a 2026 MLS Next All-Star. VanCleave is one of 44 elite youth players from across the U.S. and Canada chosen to compete in the fifth annual MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate. The match will showcase the future soccer stars in an East vs. West showdown at Mecklenburg County Complex in Matthews, North Carolina.
The annual match will showcase North America’s top young players in an East vs. West format. The 44 players were selected following the conclusion of the 2025-26 regular season and 2026 MLS NEXT Cup.
MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate
- WHEN: Monday, July 27 | 7:30 pm ET
- WHERE: Mecklenburg County Sportsplex | Matthews, North Carolina
- WATCH: Streaming live on MLSsoccer.com and MLS’s YouTube channel
- Free to attend: Fans may register for free tickets by clicking here.
VanCleave joined Barca Residency Academy ahead of the 2024–25 season and quickly established himself as a key figure within the program. The 2010-born midfielder has been instrumental in the success of the U-15, U-16, and U-17 levels over the past two seasons. This season, VanCleave helped lead the U-16 MLS NEXT team to a remarkable campaign that included a finals appearance at the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs this summer.
His consistent performances and high-level of play also earned recognition. In the semifinals of the 2026 MLS Next Cup, he was named the player of the match, scoring a goal and assisting on another in Barca’s 3-1 win over Met Oval. In November 2025, VanCleave earned a training stint at FC Barcelona’s world-renowned La Masia. The 2026 MLS Next All-Star nod makes him the fourth Barca Residency Academy player to be named a league All-Star. Graham Ford was named to the All-Star team in 2025, Joshua Sosa in 2024, and Bryce Jamison in 2022, all four players being among the few non-MLS academy players selected.
