Philadelphia Union Academy's U17 match against Sacramento Republic at MLS NEXT Flex will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
MLS NEXT Flex will run from May 12-16 at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Maryland, featuring the best 256 teams in MLS NEXT looking to clinch a berth in the 2023 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs.
The Union Academy is competing in both the U17 and U15 divisions of the event as they look to secure their berth back to the MLS NEXT Cup playoffs this summer. The Boys in Blue have been dominant in tournament play over the last year, with both sides making deep runs to the Finals of both the MLS NEXT Cup and Generation adidas Cup where the U17s have won both titles.
The U17s kick off the event on Saturday, May 13th with showdown against Solar FC from Dallas, TX with kick off set for 1pm. The following day the squad will face off against Sacramento Republic FC at 2pm before wrapping up against FC Golden State on Tuesday, May 16th at 8:30 a.m. ET.
The U15s begin things also on Saturday afternoon with a battle against the Cedar Stars Academy of Bergen at 5pm ET. The Boys in Blue then take on FC Cincinnati on Sunday at 3pm ET before concluding group play against Sacramento Republic at 1pm on Tuesday.
The event includes 64 teams in each of the U-15, U-16, U-17, and U-19 age groups that qualified for the competition based on their points-per-game rank in the 2022-23 MLS NEXT regular-season division standings. Qualifying teams were drawn into 16 groups of four, and the winners of each of these groups will automatically qualify for the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs.
The 80-minute U-15 matches and 90-minute U-16, U-17, and U-19 matches that end regulation in a draw will move to penalty kicks. The winner of penalty kicks will earn two points, while the loser will take home one point.
