ST. LOUIS — St. Louis City SC will field a team in a new Major League Soccer developmental league slated to begin play in March 2022, the professional sports league said Monday.
MLS expansion franchise City SC will be one of 21 teams to compete in the inaugural season of MLS Next Pro, a new professional league launched earlier this year by MLS. The new professional league, designed to provide a competition level between MLS’ youth leagues and its top level, will include both MLS-affiliated teams and independent franchises. MLS said Monday that MLS Next Pro will “offer young players and experienced professionals the opportunity to develop and showcase their talents.”
“MLS Next Pro completes Major League Soccer’s pro player pathway, connecting our youth academies through to our first teams,” said League President Charles Altchek. “As we continue to push the future of soccer forward in the United States and Canada, player development, community, innovation and diversity form the pillars of MLS Next Pro. The inaugural season in 2022 will be another historic moment for the sport.”
City SC’s MLS Next Pro team will be one of the 20 MLS-affiliated squads to compete in the league’s 2022 debut season. The league’s launch also includes one independent franchise, Rochester NY FC, which is co-owned by Jamie Vardy, a professional soccer player for Leicester City of the English Premier League. MLS Next Pro will expand in 2023 with the addition of another eight MLS-affiliated teams. MLS said it expects to also add additional independent clubs to the league in future years.
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