MNUFC Academy, presented by Allina Health, announced today the schedules for the MLS NEXT 2025-26 season. All three of the Loons youth teams begin regular-season action this weekend, starting with games against Sockers FC Chicago on Saturday, Sept. 6 and against Lou Fusz Athletic on Sunday, Sept. 7 at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota.
All home MNUFC Academy games are open to the public and fans are encouraged to come support the players at home matches throughout the regular season. For next Saturday’s opening contests, the U18s will play at 9:00 a.m., the U16s at 11:00 a.m. and the U15s at 1:00 p.m. CT. Fans that wish to take professional-grade photography or capture video at home games are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the MNUFC Academy media policies HERE. All fans at matches are expected to abide by these policies.
Each Academy team will play a slate of games comprised of both league play and MLS NEXT Flex competitions, which provide the squads paths to qualifying for larger, national tournaments throughout the season. These tournaments include MLS NEXT Fest, MLS NEXT Flex, the Generation adidas Cup and the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs & Showcase.
Minnesota United Academy’s regular-season matches, seen listed below, consist of primarily regionally-based opponents across two playing periods: The first half of the campaign will run during the Autumn season from September through November of 2025. After a winter break, the 2025-26 season will continue its second half, running from February until May of 2026.
Key Matchups & Dates
Season Opener vs. Sockers FC Chicago | Sept. 6; Blaine, Minnesota
St. Louis CITY SC | Oct. 18, St. Louis, Missouri
MLS NEXT Fest | Dec. 4-15; Mesa, Arizona
Chicago Fire FC | March 7, 2026, Minnesota
Generation adidas Cup | TBD, Spring 2026
MLS NEXT Flex | TBD, Spring 2026
MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs & Showcase | TBD, Summer 2026
Below are the MNUFC Academy 2025-26 schedules, with dates, times and locations subject to change throughout the season:
U18, U16, U15 Schedule:
Date | Opponent | Times (18U, 16U, 15U) |
September 6 | vs. Sockers FC Chicago | 9 a.m. | 11 a.m. | 1 p.m. |
September 7 | vs. Lou Fusz Athletic | 9 a.m. | 11 a.m. | 1 p.m. |
September 13 | at St. Louis CITY SC | 10 a.m. | 12:15 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. |
September 20 | vs. Chicago Fire FC | 12 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. |
September 21 | vs. SC Wave | 9 a.m. | 11 a.m. | 11 a.m. |
September 27 | at Colorado Rapids | 10 a.m. | 12:30 p.m. | 10 a.m. |
October 4 | vs. Sporting Kansas City | 10 a.m. | 12 p.m. | 2 p.m. |
October 18 | at St. Louis CITY SC | 10 a.m. | 12:15 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. |
November 1 | vs. Shattuck-St. Mary’s* | 9 a.m. | 11 a.m. | 1 p.m. |
November 9 | vs. Bavarian United SC* | 10 a.m. | 12 p.m. | 2 p.m. |
November 15 | at Chicago Fire FC | 10 a.m. | 12:15 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. |
November 22 | vs. Colorado Rapids | 9 a.m. | 11 a.m. | 1 p.m. |
November 23 | vs. Chicago FC United | 9 a.m. | 11 a.m. | 1 p.m. |
February 21 | vs. Sporting Kansas City | TBD |
February 22 | vs. St. Louis Scott Gallagher | 9 a.m. | 11 a.m. | 1 p.m. |
February 28 | at Columbus Crew | TBD |
March 7 | vs. Chicago Fire FC | TBD |
March 14 | vs. FC Cincinnati | TBD |
March 21 | at Sporting Kansas City | TBD |
April 11 | at FC Cincinnati | TBD |
May 2 | vs. Columbus Crew | TBD |
May 9 | vs. St. Louis CITY SC | TBD |
*Matches played at Shattuck-St. Mary’s
About MLS NEXT
Launched in 2020, MLS NEXT is the most elite platform for youth player development in North America. With a commitment to innovation and inclusion, MLS NEXT players receive the best training and coaching as they prepare for their futures, both on and off the field. Throughout a season, MLS NEXT hosts four marquee events across the country, including the Generation adidas Cup, which features MLS academies playing against the top international clubs. With the addition of the new MLS NEXT Academy Division in 2025, membership for the 2025-26 season will include 30 MLS academies, 243 Elite Academies (273 total clubs), 2,189 teams and over 43,000 players across the U.S. and Canada. Official partners of MLS NEXT include adidas, Allstate, and Más+ by Messi. For more information about MLS NEXT, visit www.mlssoccer.com/mlsnext.
