FC Cincinnati Academy to Compete in 2026 Generation adidas Cup | Schedule & Details

March 23, 2026 Lucas Fernandez – World Editor World

The FC Cincinnati Academy will send its U15 and U16 teams to the 2026 Generation adidas Cup, a youth soccer tournament held at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, from March 27 to April 4. This marks the sixth consecutive year the academy will participate in the competition.

Forty teams, split into two age groups – U15 and U16 – will compete, with a total of 32 U.S.-based clubs participating. Alongside 29 other MLS academies, the tournament will also feature three non-affiliated MLS academies: Cedar Stars Academy, Chicago Sockers FC, and CT United FC. Seventeen international teams representing 14 countries will complete the field.

The U15s have been drawn into Group I, where they will face CT United FC, Nashville SC, and Seongnam FC of South Korea. The U16s will compete in Group J against FC Dallas, Nagoya Grampus of Japan, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

The tournament structure divides the 40 teams in each age group into 10 groups of four. The winner of each group, along with the top six second-place finishers, will advance to a single-elimination championship bracket. The remaining 16 teams will enter a consolation bracket, culminating in consolation groups for the final eight teams to ensure all participants receive six 60-minute matches – two 30-minute halves.

Championship matches will be extended to 70 minutes, and all tied contests at the conclude of regulation will be decided by a penalty kick shootout. Twenty games, including the championship matches in both age groups, will be streamed live on MLS’ YouTube page.

The FC Cincinnati Academy U15s will begin play on Friday, March 27, at 9 a.m. ET against CT United FC. They will then face Nashville SC on Saturday, March 28, and conclude group stage play against Seongnam FC on Sunday, March 29. The U16s will open their tournament on Friday, March 27, at 4:30 p.m. ET against Vancouver Whitecaps FC, followed by a match against FC Dallas on Saturday, March 28, at 4:30 p.m. ET, and a Sunday, March 29, 5 p.m. ET contest against Nagoya Grampus.