NEW YORK (May 13, 2020) – Major League Soccer today announced that 65 former U.S. Soccer Development Academy clubs will join the League’s existing club academies to create a partnership that will transform youth player development in the United States and Canada.

The 65 youth clubs will join the MLS academies as Founding Members of MLS’ elite player development platform. The new platform, which will include more than 8,000 players throughout the U.S. and Canada, will consist of elite year-round competition, as well as player identification initiatives, coaching education opportunities, and additional programming to create the premier player development environment.

As one of the 65 clubs, Southern Soccer Academy will be a founding member of the platform that will operate with a groundbreaking governance structure that promotes collaboration, innovation and input across all areas of the soccer landscape. 

“Southern Soccer Academy is excited to be a founding member of the MLS elite youth development platform. This Platform will provide fantastic opportunities for our players, staff and community. The growth and development of our players is always at the heart of our mission statement and the new platform will give our players a professional pathway and an elite player pathway for our future college bound players.

We are looking forward to exciting times ahead for United States youth development after the creation of this new competition.”

Simon Davey

SSA Executive Director