dailyloe.com – Philadelphia Union Academy is traveling to Texas to compete in the MLS NEXT Flex tournament. The event is the final qualifying competition for the 2026 MLS NEXT Cup. It will be held at the Toyota Soccer Complex in Frisco from April 23 to 28, 2026. The academy’s U-18, U-16, and U-15 teams are all participating.
Teams in each age group are divided into groups of four. Their seeding is based on league match performance from September 2025 to March 2026. The winner of each group automatically clinches a spot in the 2026 MLS NEXT Cup. The tournament is held just outside the home stadium of FC Dallas.
The Union’s U-16 team has already secured a spot in May’s MLS NEXT Cup. They achieved this with a 6-2 victory over rivals Red Bull New York. That win secured a top-three finish in the league table. The U-18 and U-15 teams are also positioned to advance via regular season standings.
Both the U-18 and U-15 squads head to Texas aiming to officially clinch their spots. They want to secure postseason berths before wrapping up their season. The U-18s return to Texas with momentum from a prior success there. They recently became just the third American side to win the Dallas Cup.
At MLS NEXT Flex, the U-18 squad will face Michigan Futbol Academy. They will also play Miami Futbol Academy Rush and NEFC. The U-15s kick off their tournament play on a Thursday. They have three games in four days against Lamorinda Soccer Club, Orlando City Soccer School South, and Michigan Wolves.
The U-16s are paired with SoCal Reds FC in their group. They will also face Queen City Mutiny FC and Cedar Stars Academy of Bergen. The tournament represents a final chance for teams to qualify. All Union Academy teams are looking to secure their postseason futures.
