What is MLS NEXT?

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The San Francisco Glens are proud to be a Founding Member of MLS NEXT, the top boys youth soccer platform in America, run by Major League Soccer. MLS NEXT is designed with the player's development as its primary objective—pushing individuals outside their comfort zone, accelerating their growth, and showcasing their talent. As one of the few year-round domestic youth training programs, it provides high-quality environments with more training repetitions than any other league at any level in the U.S. and Canada.

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The Glens field teams across two competitive tiers—MLS NEXT Tier 1 and Tier 2—giving players a full development pathway and clear opportunities to move up as they grow.

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MLS NEXT Tier 1

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The Glens offer the Full Pathway in Tier 1, with teams across every age group from U13 through U19. In league play, several age groups compete against top clubs locally, while our Pro Pathway Division teams travel regionally to face MLS academy sides such as the Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Real Salt Lake.

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Tier 1 provides significant exposure to pro and college scouts, including up to two National Showcases—MLS NEXT Fest and MLS NEXT Flex—plus the MLS NEXT Cup for qualifying teams. Our graduating MLS NEXT classes have consistently sent players on to college soccer, including at the Division I level.

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MLS NEXT Tier 2

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SF Glens is a founding member of the MLS NEXT Tier 2 platform, a second competitive tier within MLS NEXT built to create more opportunities for aspiring players. It's a national league with regional divisions, offering a high-performance environment for emerging athletes.

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The tier features more than 1,200 teams from over 220 clubs competing across regional divisions during the regular season, accompanied by regional tournaments, access to MLS NEXT national events, and coaching development programs. Regional tournaments serve as qualifiers for a championship event at the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs, which double as marquee talent-identification opportunities for college, professional, and national team scouts. Players competing in Tier 2 also remain eligible to play high school soccer.

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What Tier 2 offers:

• Elite competition against the best teams in Northern California through a club-vs-club format

• Comprehensive player development that emphasizes both skill and personal growth

• Optimized resources, with a platform designed to eliminate coaching conflicts and enhance player movement

• Ages U11 to U19, providing a consistent developmental experience from early stages through advanced levels

• A pathway to higher levels, with players regularly scouted by top college and professional programs

 

Competition & Environment

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Across both tiers, the rules, format, and daily environment are built around player development. Quality coaching at high frequency, alongside top players in high-performance settings, prepares athletes for meaningful competition and accelerates their growth.

 

Coaching & Individual Growth

 

High-quality coaching is central to player development. MLS NEXT coaches are committed to developing players and receive ongoing education in the best approaches to player development, including world-class training from global leaders such as the French Football Federation. While winning matters, coaches are ultimately measured by each player's growth—becoming a better player, growing as a person, attending college, and signing a professional contract.

 

Each MLS NEXT player also receives a holistic plan for personal growth, covering on-field development, strength and conditioning, academics, college placement, and support tailored to the individual.

 

Player Pathway

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The Glens' two-tier MLS NEXT structure creates a clear, connected pathway: players can enter at the level that fits them best and progress toward college and professional opportunities as they develop. Both tiers are regularly scouted by college, professional, and national team programs.

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Join the Glens: Competitive Tryouts

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The San Francisco Glens Soccer Club hosts tryouts for all Competitive Teams every year. Tryouts are open to any and all players interested in playing Competitive youth soccer, at every level.

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Tryouts are generally held in May, though dates vary by age group and team—check the Tryout page for the current schedule.