Guide · MLS NEXT

MLS NEXT Quality of Play: how U13 and U14 are ranked

As of October 1, 2026, based on MLS NEXT’s Quality of Play page, its 2026–27 Homegrown and Academy Division rules and Homegrown Technical Standards, and its season announcement (September 3, 2026). MLS NEXT’s own documents are authoritative and can change.

What Quality of Play is

MLS NEXT announced Quality of Play on April 2, 2025. Built with Taka, it ranks U13 and U14 teams on the quality of their play instead of win–loss standings. MLS NEXT’s 2026–27 season announcement says the rankings measure attacking, defensive and overall contributions.

According to MLS NEXT, play is assessed by an experienced team of analysts, and the method doesn’t favor a playing style. Quality of Play standings are published on the MLS NEXT platform.

Why U13 and U14 have no official win–loss table

Quality of Play ranks U13 and U14. MLS NEXT’s 2026–27 Homegrown Division and Academy Division rules publish official standings, with wins, losses, ties, goals, points per match and points, only for U15 to U19.

From U15 to U19, teams are ranked on points per match. Ties are broken by head-to-head when two teams are tied, then wins per match, goal difference per match and goals for per match.

How U13 and U14 reach MLS NEXT Cup

The 2026–27 Homegrown Division Technical Standards say U13 and U14 take part in a Quality of Play playoff structure.

For the 2026 MLS NEXT Cup, Homegrown U13 and U14 teams were invited based on Quality of Play: 64 teams per age, 32 in a Championship bracket and 32 in a Premier bracket. The 2025 Cup was the first with U13 and U14 brackets. MLS NEXT Flex is only for U15–U19.

The 2027 MLS NEXT Cup is June 5–13, 2027. Its U13 and U14 format hasn’t been announced. In the Academy Division, ask your club how the U13 and U14 postseason works.

How Table & Pitch shows U13 and U14 tables

Until a conference has Quality of Play scores, Table & Pitch counts wins, losses and ties from completed games in that competition, with 3 points for a win and 1 for a tie, and orders the table by points per game. Those tables are labeled “From scores” and aren’t an official league order.

When Quality of Play scores appear, that conference switches to the official place, and the win–loss line stays on the table, calculated from completed games. Once a U13 or U14 age has Quality of Play scores, its Top Table follows them too. More on official places and calculated comparisons.

U13 and U14 standings

Sources

Table & Pitch is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by MLS NEXT. For anything official, the league’s own documents decide.