Austin FC’s U-17 and U-15 teams are headed to Florida to take part in the 2024 Generation Adidas Cup, the premier international tournament in youth club soccer. The prestigious event takes place from March 30 to April 7 in Bradenton.
Before the tournament kicks off, here’s all you need to know to support the next generation of the Verde & Black.
How does the tournament work?
U-17 and U-15 teams from all 29 MLS academies will compete, alongside MLS NEXT Elite academies Strikers FC in the U-17 age group and Weston FC in the U-15 age group. 10 international clubs will fill out the 40-team field at each age level, including PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) and River Plate (Argentina at the U-17 level, and Manchester United (England) and Valencia CF (Spain) at the U-15 level.
The 40-team fields are split into 10 groups of four teams each. The 10 group winners and the six best second-place finishers will advance to a 16-team, single elimination knockout round. Matches are 60 minutes long (two 30-minute halves), with the exception of the finals, which are 70-minutes in total.
Who do the Austin FC Academy teams face?
In the group stage of the tournament, Austin FC’s U-17 team will face LAFC (March 30 at 3:30 p.m. CT), Nashville SC (March 31 at 3:30 p.m. CT), and River Plate – the Argentine academy in which Austin FC captain Sebastián Driussi played as a young player (April 1 at 3:30 p.m. CT).
The Austin FC U-15’s will play against Colorado Rapids (March 30 at 10:30 a.m. CT), CF Montréal (March 31 at 10:30 a.m. CT), and Valencia CF (April 1 at 11:00 a.m. CT). The U-15 match between Austin FC and Valencia CF will stream live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Match | Date/Time | Stream |
|---|---|---|
Austin FC U-15 vs. Colorado Rapids | Sat., March 30 at 10:30 a.m. CT | |
Austin FC U-17 vs. LAFC | Sat., March 30 at 3:30 p.m. CT | |
Austin FC U-15 vs. CF Montréal | Sun., March 31 at 10:30 a.m. CT | |
Austin FC U-17 vs. Nashville SC | Sun., March 31 at 3:30 p.m. CT | |
Austin FC U-15 vs. Valencia CF | Mon., April 1 at 11:00 a.m. CT | |
Austin FC U-17 vs. River Plate | Mon., April 1 at 3:30 p.m. CT |
What is the purpose of the tournament?
To provide an opportunity for some of the top young players in the world to showcase their abilities. Last season, Austin FC’s U-15 team won the tournament, and they’ll aim to defend their crown this season.
Past editions of the tournament have featured future global stars like World Cup winners Julián Álvarez (River Plate / Manchester City) and Enzo Fernández (River Plate / Chelsea), 18-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), and Brazilian international Lucas Paquetá (Flamengo / West Ham United).
