MLS Next Pro

What MLS Next Pro does

MLS NEXT Pro is a professional developmental soccer league operating in the United States and Canada as the player-pathway arm of Major League Soccer, structured as a New York limited partnership (Pro Soccer Development, L.P.) headquartered at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York. Launched in 2022, the league fields 30 clubs—predominantly MLS-affiliated reserve sides (Atlanta United 2, LAFC2, Inter Miami CF II, Toronto FC II, etc.) alongside a growing cohort of independent clubs (Carolina Core FC, Chattanooga FC, Ventura County FC, CT United FC)—and is expanding to 34 clubs by 2027 with Cleveland, Jacksonville, Grand Rapids, and The Island F.C. as named new markets. The core platform combines live match streaming, digital content distribution, player development tracking, and competition management infrastructure; its two most consequential proprietary features are the Off-Field Treatment Rule and the Timed Substitution Rule, which were adopted by IFAB into the Laws of the Game in February 2026 for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the timed substitution rule showing 99% compliance across 4,000+ substitutions in MLS during 2025.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: streaming and media rights (OneFootball global free-to-air partnership covering 200 million monthly active users; MLS Season Pass on Apple TV); sponsorship and brand partnerships (adidas, Allstate as presenting sponsor of MLS NEXT All-Star Game and MLS NEXT Cup); club-level ticketing and matchday revenue operated independently by each of the 30 clubs; and stadium and infrastructure investment channeled through Hometown Soccer Holdings, the KKR-backed commercial platform formed April 30, 2026 to fund stadium construction and new community-rooted club brands. Distribution combines the OneFootball streaming platform, Apple TV/MLS Season Pass, the league's own website (mlsnextpro.com) which now streams every match live and free for the first time, the MLS YouTube channel for select events, and individual club ticketing sites. Player outcomes—255+ first-team MLS signings, ~20 international transfers, and 120+ national team call-ups in 2025—are the league's primary value metric for B2B club operators, sponsors, and federation partners including FIFA, U.S. Soccer, and the Canadian Soccer Association.

Name

MLS Next Pro

Legal name

Pro Soccer Development, L.P.

Website

https://mlsnextpro.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MLS NEXT Pro is the professional developmental soccer league operated by Major League Soccer, fielding 30 clubs (expanding to 34 by 2027) across the U.S. and Canada as the direct player pathway to MLS first-team contracts, international transfers, and national team call-ups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Developmental Soccer League

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Team Sports Clubs (Football/Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Rugby, Cricket, etc.) (MPAKABAA)

Keywords

• Professional soccer league
• Player development pathway
• Youth soccer competition
• Developmental sports league
• Soccer talent pipeline

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Streaming and Media Rights: MLS NEXT Pro generates revenue through streaming media partnerships. The OneFootball global partnership (announced February 2026) makes all matches live and free-to-air across the platform's 200 million monthly active users. MLS Season Pass via Apple TV is also referenced as a subscription streaming avenue.
2. Stadium and Infrastructure Investment: Hometown Soccer Holdings (HSH), the commercial platform formed with KKR, serves as the primary mechanism for funding stadium development for MLS NEXT Pro clubs. KKR's capital and operating expertise supports stadium construction in new markets, generating revenue through venue ownership/operations and fan experience enhancements.
3. Sponsorship and Brand Partnerships: MLS NEXT Pro operates sponsorship arrangements including jersey sponsors, sports betting/gaming partners, and club operator affiliates. The league's official website lists adidas as a partner. Revenue is generated through sharing and selling non-sensitive personal information to sponsors and partners for marketing purposes (CCPA-compliant).
4. Club Membership and Ticketing: Individual MLS NEXT Pro clubs sell tickets to matches. Each club operates its own ticketing site under separate terms of use. The league facilitates match attendance across its 30+ clubs, generating revenue through per-match ticket sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MLS Next Pro operates a professional developmental soccer league in the U.S. and Canada, providing a structured player development pathway directly beneath MLS first teams. The league features 30 clubs (expanding to 34 by 2027) competing in a regular season, Playoffs, and the MLS Next Pro Cup, with all matches distributed live and free via OneFootball and the league's own website, and also via Apple TV's MLS Season Pass. Beyond match competition, the league supports player progression to professional contracts, international transfers, and national team call-ups, and operates alongside the KKR-backed Hometown Soccer Holdings platform for stadium development and fan engagement infrastructure.

Product overview

MLS NEXT Pro is a professional developmental soccer league operating as the premier youth player development pathway below MLS first-team level in the U.S. and Canada. The core offering is the league competition itself, featuring 30 clubs (expanding to 34 by 2027) that compete in regular season matches, playoffs, and the MLS NEXT Pro Cup. The league is complemented by its official website (mlsnextpro.com) which provides match schedules, statistics, video content, and live streaming capabilities, and a global streaming partnership with OneFootball that delivers all matches to over 200 million monthly active users. The league was founded in 2022 and has seen over 255 players progress to MLS first-team contracts, demonstrating its role as a critical talent pipeline for North American professional soccer.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MLS NEXT Pro League Competition
• MLS NEXT Pro Player Pathway Program
• MLS NEXT Pro Live Streaming Service

Quantifiable outcome

• 255 players progressed to MLS first-team contracts since launch; nearly 20 transferred internationally; 120+ called up to national teams in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers30 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• OneFootballcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 February 2026MLS NEXT Pro announced a global partnership with OneFootball to stream all matches on the platform beginning in the 2026 season, covering the regular season, Playoffs, and MLS NEXT Pro Cup. The deal makes all matches live and free-to-air to OneFootball's 200 million active monthly users across its app, web, connected TV, and social channels. The partnership builds on a content and strategic agreement OneFootball entered with Major League Soccer in October 2024 and marks the first time since MLS NEXT Pro's inaugural 2022 season that all matches are available on the league's own website alongside a streaming partner.
• adidasminorGTM or Marketing Partneradidas is listed as an official partner of MLS NEXT Pro on the league's official website. The partnership provides official match and training apparel for the league, clubs, and staff.
• AllstatecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAllstate is the presenting sponsor of the MLS NEXT All-Star Game and MLS NEXT Cup, MLS NEXT's premier youth events. The partnership provides free admission to the All-Star Game and positions Allstate within the broader MLS All-Star Week programming including the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge and MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime.
• Apple TV / MLS Season PasscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMLS NEXT Pro matches are available via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, which serves as the primary subscription streaming platform for MLS and MLS NEXT Pro content. Terms of use and privacy policies for subscriptions are governed by Apple's platform.
• United States Soccer FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe U.S. Soccer Federation is listed as a soccer organization with whom MLS NEXT Pro shares employee personal information (including date of birth, mailing address, email, telephone, name, nationality, and proof of identity) for purposes of verifying player eligibility and national team participation. The league's rule innovations were adopted by IFAB and are now part of global soccer's Laws of the Game.
• Canadian Soccer AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Canadian Soccer Association is listed alongside U.S. Soccer Federation and FIFA as soccer organizations with whom MLS NEXT Pro shares player data for eligibility verification and national team participation purposes.
• FIFAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFIFA is listed as a soccer organization receiving player information for eligibility verification. MLS NEXT Pro's off-field treatment rule and timed substitution rule were adopted by IFAB (FIFA's rule-making body) into the Laws of the Game in February 2026, making them World Cup-ready for the 2026 tournament in North America. MLS Commissioner Don Garber cited this as evidence of the league's global impact.
• Project Play SummitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMLS NEXT Pro is associated with the 2026 Project Play Summit in Boston, which is supported by youth sports initiatives. The summit focuses on youth sports participation and development infrastructure, aligning with MLS NEXT Pro's mission of player pathway development.
• Hometown Soccer Holdings (HSH)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHometown Soccer Holdings (HSH) is the commercial platform formed by MLS and KKR on April 30, 2026, to serve as MLS NEXT Pro's commercial engine. HSH focuses on stadium development in new communities, creating new club brands for MLS-affiliated teams that are specific to their home communities, and enhancing matchday fan experiences at locally-rooted venues. Led by Tom Glick (former Manchester City and NYCFC executive) as CEO.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• CONCACAF: Continental governing body for soccer in North America, the Caribbean, and Central America. Relevant as a federation/regulatory counterpart that aligns national team pipelines with MLS Next Pro's developmental output (e.g., 120+ national team call-ups in 2025).

Direct peers

• MLS NEXT: Youth soccer development platform directly above MLS Next Pro in the MLS player pathway. Operates as a feeder for MLS Next Pro clubs and shares the same MLS parent organization, making it the most structurally integrated peer in the North American talent funnel.
• USL Championship: Second-tier professional soccer league in the U.S., directly comparable to MLS Next Pro in mission (player development pathway) and operating model (club-based league with promotion/relegation-style movement). Competes for talent, fans, and market share in overlapping U.S. cities.
• USL League One: Third-tier U.S. professional soccer league operating in similar developmental territory to MLS Next Pro, with comparable club count and focus on player pathways to higher divisions. Closest direct substitute for independent clubs choosing between USL and MLS Next Pro affiliation.
• National Independent Soccer Association (NISA): Independent U.S. soccer league positioned as a community-owned developmental alternative. Competes with MLS Next Pro for independent clubs, fan markets, and emerging-market expansion (e.g., Carolina Core FC, CT United FC also play in MLS Next Pro).

Broad incumbents

• Major League Soccer (MLS): Parent organization and top-tier North American professional soccer league. Operates MLS Next Pro as its developmental arm, providing shared brand, broadcast (Apple TV), and sponsorship infrastructure; a broader incumbent that anchors the entire ecosystem.
• Liga MX: Top-tier Mexican professional soccer league and the most-established North American soccer property. Competes for fan attention, sponsorship dollars, and elite youth player attention with MLS Next Pro and the broader MLS ecosystem.

Regional players

• Canadian Premier League: Canada's top-tier professional soccer league launched in 2019. Operates as a regional alternative to MLS-affiliated developmental soccer for Canadian players, with overlapping geography (Toronto FC II and Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 play in MLS Next Pro while CPL exists as a competing pathway).
• Liga de Expansión MX: Mexican second-division developmental soccer league affiliated with Liga MX. Serves the same player-development function as MLS Next Pro but in Mexico, providing a comparable structural peer for North American developmental soccer economics and federation alignment.

Emerging players

• Premier League 2: English top-flight reserve/developmental league operated by the Premier League. Comparable structural peer for a first-division reserve league model serving as a feeder to senior teams — relevant international benchmark for MLS Next Pro's development economics and player pathway design.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MLSNEXTPRO
• Instagraminstagram.com/mlsnextpro
• TikToktiktok.com/@mlsnextpro
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mls-next-pro

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MLS Next Pro