With all four eligible age groups qualifying, Republic FC’s Academy is gearing up to compete in the MLS NEXT Flex tournament next weekend.
The Flex tournament is MLS NEXT’s final qualifying event to the MLS NEXT Cup playoffs – the national championship of American Youth Soccer’s top level. It will be a big week ahead with three contests in store for each squad. Securing a top spot in the tournament will give the team an automatic berth in May’s MLS NEXT Cup playoffs held May 23 – May 31 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
This year, SRFC Academy qualified for all four of the eligible age groups (U15, U16, U17, and U19) — and is one of just two clubs from Northern California to be represented in each division, and the only one from the Sacramento area. Teams earn their spot in the Flex tournament by finishing with one of the highest points-per-game records in their regional MLS NEXT division during the regular season. Earning a spot in the tournament gives teams a final chance to secure their place in the MLS NEXT playoffs.
All four of Republic FC’s teams enter the competition in the top 10 of their prospective divisions, with the U16s and U19s sitting at the top of the table.
Teams in each age group are split into “pods” of four and are seeded based on their performance in league matches from September 2025 to March 2026. Across the board, Sacramento will face off with MLS-affiliated squads four times
Last year, all four of the older Academy squads advanced to the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs, with the U17s booking their ticket by topping their group in the MLS NEXT Flex tournament. With this tournament win, Sacramento Republic FC was the only club from Northern California to qualify a team in each age group.
Since the launch of MLS NEXT in 2021, Republic FC has sent at least two teams to the annual postseason tournament, reaching the semifinals on four occasions (U17s in 2025 and 2021, U19s in 2021, and U15s in 2020). In 2025, the U17 team made the most impressive run of any Republic academy team in the last four years at the MLS NEXT Cup playoffs, all possible by winning their group at the MLS NEXT Flex tournament.
Sacramento Republic FC Academy will be hosting open tryouts Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1 at Cosumnes River College for players born in 2008 – 2015. Register now and don’t miss your chance to train and develop up to the professional level.
