2023 MLS Next Pro season

The 2023 MLS Next Pro season is the second season of MLS Next Pro, the reserve league of Major League Soccer.

MLS Next Pro
Season2023
DatesMarch 24 – September 24
(Regular season)
Matches played104
Goals scored343 (3.3 per match)
Top goalscorerYosuke Hanya (7)
Highest scoringNE2 5–5 CIN (April 30)
← 2022
2024 →
All statistics correct as of May 14, 2023.

27 clubs will participate in the 2023 season. Atlanta United 2, New York Red Bulls II and LA Galaxy II joined the league from the USL Championship.[1] The expansion teams include Austin FC II (representing Austin FC),[2][3] Crown Legacy FC (Charlotte FC),[4] Huntsville City FC (Nashville SC),[5] and Los Angeles FC 2 (Los Angeles FC).[6] Rochester New York FC withdrew.[7] The regular season will run from March 24 to September 24.

Teams

Stadiums and locations
Main article: List of Major League Soccer stadiums
Team Stadium Capacity
Atlanta United 2 Fifth Third Bank Stadium 8,318
Austin FC II Parmer Field 1,000
Chicago Fire FC II SeatGeek Stadium 20,000
FC Cincinnati 2 NKU Soccer Stadium 1,000
Colorado Rapids 2 Denver Soccer Stadium 2,000
Columbus Crew 2 Historic Crew Stadium 19,968
Crown Legacy FC Sportsplex at Matthews 5,000
Houston Dynamo 2 SaberCats Stadium 4,000
Huntsville City FC Joe W. Davis Stadium 6,000
Inter Miami CF II DRV PNK Stadium 18,000
LA Galaxy II Dignity Health Sports Park Track & Field Stadium 2,000
Los Angeles FC 2 Titan Stadium 10,000
Minnesota United FC 2 Allianz Field 19,400
National Sports Center 10,000
New England Revolution II Gillette Stadium 20,000
New York City FC II Belson Stadium 2,168
New York Red Bulls II MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field 5,000
North Texas SC Choctaw Stadium 48,114
Orlando City B Osceola County Stadium 5,400
Philadelphia Union II Subaru Park 18,500
Portland Timbers 2 Hillsboro Stadium 7,600
Real Monarchs Zions Bank Stadium 5,000
San Jose Earthquakes II PayPal Park 18,000
Sporting Kansas City II Rock Chalk Park 2,500
Swope Soccer Village 3,500
St. Louis City SC 2 CityPark 22,500
Toronto FC II York Lions Stadium 4,000
Tacoma Defiance Cheney Stadium 6,500
Starfire Sports Complex 4,500
Whitecaps FC 2 Swangard Stadium 5,288

Personnel and sponsorship

Note: All teams use Adidas as universal kit manufacturer.

Team Head coach Captain
Atlanta United 2 England Steve Cooke
Austin FC II United States Brett Uttley
Chicago Fire FC II France Ludovic Taillandier
FC Cincinnati 2 United States Tyrone Marshall
Colorado Rapids 2 United States Erik Bushey
Columbus Crew 2 France Laurent Courtois Italy Marco Micaletto
Crown Legacy FC Portugal José Tavares
Houston Dynamo 2 United States Kenny Bundy United States Talen Maples
Huntsville City FC Wales Jack Collison
Inter Miami CF II Argentina Federico Higuaín
LA Galaxy II Brazil Marcelo Sarvas
Los Angeles FC 2 Spain Enrique Duran
Minnesota United FC 2 New Zealand Cameron Knowles
New England Revolution II United States Clint Peay United States Jake Rozhansky
New York City FC II United States Matt Pilkington United States Nico Benalcazar
New York Red Bulls II Uganda Ibrahim Sekagya
North Texas SC Spain Javier Cano
Orlando City B Argentina Martín Perelman
Philadelphia Union II United States Marlon LeBlanc
Portland Timbers 2 Scotland Shannon Murray
Real Monarchs Colombia Jámison Olave
San Jose Earthquakes II United States Dan DeGeer
Sporting Kansas City II United States Benny Feilhaber
St. Louis City SC 2 United States Bobby Murphy
Toronto FC II Canada Gianni Cimini
Tacoma Defiance United States Wade Webber
Whitecaps FC 2 United States Ricardo Clark

Regular season

The regular season will feature 28 matches in a mostly regionalized schedule. Each conference will be divided into divisions of six or seven teams for scheduling.[8]

Eastern Conference
Pos Team Pld W SOW SOL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Crown Legacy FC 8 7 0 1 0 20 8 +12 22 Qualification for the Conference semifinals
2 Columbus Crew 2 7 5 1 0 1 13 4 +9 17 Qualification for the Playoffs
3 New England Revolution II 8 4 1 0 3 20 19 +1 14
4 Orlando City B 8 4 1 0 3 15 16 −1 14
5 New York Red Bulls II 8 3 2 1 2 8 7 +1 14
6 New York City FC II 7 3 0 1 3 12 12 0 10
7 Atlanta United 2 8 3 0 1 4 12 12 0 10
8 Inter Miami CF II 8 3 0 1 4 14 19 −5 10
9 Philadelphia Union II 8 2 2 0 4 12 18 −6 10
10 Chicago Fire FC II 8 2 0 3 3 10 10 0 9
11 FC Cincinnati 2 6 2 0 2 2 15 16 −1 8
12 Huntsville City FC 7 0 3 0 4 9 13 −4 6
13 Toronto FC II 7 1 0 1 5 12 17 −5 4
Updated to match(es) played on May 14, 2023. Source: MLSNP Eastern Conference
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)

Western Conference
Pos Team Pld W SOW SOL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Colorado Rapids 2 8 7 0 1 0 20 6 +14 22 Qualification for the Conference semifinals
2 Austin FC II 9 5 1 2 1 13 6 +7 19 Qualification for the Playoffs
3 Tacoma Defiance 7 4 2 0 1 18 10 +8 16
4 Whitecaps FC 2 8 4 1 0 3 18 14 +4 14
5 Sporting Kansas City II 8 4 1 0 3 15 13 +2 14
6 North Texas SC 9 4 0 1 4 11 14 −3 13
7 Minnesota United FC 2 8 3 1 2 2 19 17 +2 13
8 Houston Dynamo 2 8 3 1 0 4 13 9 +4 11
9 San Jose Earthquakes II 7 3 1 0 3 7 5 +2 11
10 Real Monarchs 8 3 0 0 5 8 18 −10 9
11 St. Louis City SC 2 8 1 2 1 4 8 16 −8 8
12 Portland Timbers 2 7 2 0 0 5 9 15 −6 6
13 LA Galaxy II 8 1 1 0 6 8 20 −12 5
14 Los Angeles FC 2 7 0 0 3 4 4 9 −5 3
Updated to match(es) played on May 14, 2023. Source: MLSNP Western Conference
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)

Overall table
Pos Team Pld W SOW SOL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Colorado Rapids 2 8 7 0 1 0 20 6 +14 22 Regular season champion
2 Crown Legacy FC 8 7 0 1 0 20 8 +12 22
3 Austin FC II 9 5 1 2 1 13 6 +7 19
4 Columbus Crew 2 7 5 1 0 1 13 4 +9 17
5 Tacoma Defiance 7 4 2 0 1 18 10 +8 16
6 Whitecaps FC 2 8 4 1 0 3 18 14 +4 14
7 Sporting Kansas City II 8 4 1 0 3 15 13 +2 14
8 New England Revolution II 8 4 1 0 3 20 19 +1 14
9 Orlando City B 8 4 1 0 3 15 16 −1 14
10 New York Red Bulls II 8 3 2 1 2 8 7 +1 14
11 North Texas SC 9 4 0 1 4 11 14 −3 13
12 Minnesota United FC 2 8 3 1 2 2 19 17 +2 13
13 Houston Dynamo 2 8 3 1 0 4 13 9 +4 11
14 San Jose Earthquakes II 7 3 1 0 3 7 5 +2 11
15 New York City FC II 7 3 0 1 3 12 12 0 10
16 Atlanta United 2 8 3 0 1 4 12 12 0 10
17 Inter Miami CF II 8 3 0 1 4 14 19 −5 10
18 Philadelphia Union II 8 2 2 0 4 12 18 −6 10
19 Real Monarchs 8 3 0 0 5 8 18 −10 9
20 Chicago Fire FC II 8 2 0 3 3 10 10 0 9
21 FC Cincinnati 2 6 2 0 2 2 15 16 −1 8
22 St. Louis City SC 2 8 1 2 1 4 8 16 −8 8
23 Portland Timbers 2 7 2 0 0 5 9 15 −6 6
24 Huntsville City FC 7 0 3 0 4 9 13 −4 6
25 LA Galaxy II 8 1 1 0 6 8 20 −12 5
26 Toronto FC II 7 1 0 1 5 12 17 −5 4
27 Los Angeles FC 2 7 0 0 3 4 4 9 −5 3
Updated to match(es) played on May 14, 2023. Source: MLSNP
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)

Player statistics
As of May 14, 2023

Goals
RankPlayerClubGoals[9]
1 Japan Yosuke Hanya Colorado Rapids 2 7
2 Guatemala Arquimides Ordóñez FC Cincinnati 2 6
Portugal Diogo Pachedo Minnesota United FC 2
Spain Pau Vidal Sporting Kansas City II
5 Brazil Nicolas Firmino Atlanta United 2 5
United States Damián Rivera New England Revolution II
Guinea-Bissau Braudílio Rodrigues Tacoma Defiance
Cape Verde Iuri Tavares Crown Legacy FC
9 Ghana Hope Avayevu North Texas SC 4
Cameroon Aaron Bibout LA Galaxy II
Brazil Marcos Dias New England Revolution II
Canada Levonte Johnson Whitecaps FC 2
United States John Klein St. Louis City SC 2
France Valentin Noël Austin FC II
United States Hal Uderitz Tacoma Defiance

Hat-tricks
Player For Against Score Date
Cameroon Aaron Bibout LA Galaxy II Whitecaps FC 2 4–3 (A)[10] April 16
Notes

(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team

Assists
RankPlayerClubAssists[11]
1 United States Paul Rothrock Tacoma Defiance 5
2 Ecuador Jordi Govea FC Cincinnati 2 4
United States Oliver Larraz Colorado Rapids 2
4 United States Beto Avila Houston Dynamo 2 3
United States Andrew Draper Sporting Kansas City II
United States Coleman Gannon Columbus Crew 2
Cameroon Jean-Claude Ngando Whitecaps FC 2
United States David Poreba Crown Legacy FC
United States Luka Prpa Chicago Fire FC II
Cuba Dairon Reyes Inter Miami CF II
United States Tyshawn Rose North Texas SC

Clean sheets
RankPlayerClubClean
sheets[12]
1 United States Eric De La Cerda San Jose Earthquakes II 3
United States Damian Las Austin FC II
United States AJ Marcucci New York Red Bulls II
4 United States Adam Beaudry Colorado Rapids 2 2
United States Julian Eyestone North Texas SC
Belarus Stanislav Lapkes Columbus Crew 2
Chile Vicente Reyes Atlanta United 2
United States Brady Scott Columbus Crew 2
9 22 players 1

Playoffs

Top seven teams in each conference will qualify for the playoffs, with the best record in each conference earning a first round bye. The second and third seeds in each conference will be able to choose which of the remaining teams they will play. The top seed in the conference semifinals will also get to choose who they will play.[8]

League awards

Weekly awards
Week Player of the Matchday Team of the Matchday Ref.
Player Club Position Reason
1 Guatemala Arquimides Ordóñez FC Cincinnati 2 Forward 2 goals vs Toronto Minnesota United FC 2 [13][14]
2 Canada Brandon Cambridge Crown Legacy FC Forward 2 goals vs Cincinnati Colorado Rapids 2 [15][16]
3 United States Favian Loyola Orlando City B Midfielder 1 goal, 1 assist vs Miami New England Revolution II [17][18]
4 Cameroon Aaron Bibout LA Galaxy II Forward Hat trick vs Vancouver Austin FC II [19][20]
5 United States Ryan Bilichuk Portland Timbers 2 Goalkeeper Shutout vs LAFC2 Whitecaps FC 2 [21][22]
6 Japan Yosuke Hanya Colorado Rapids 2 Midfielder Game-winning goal vs North Texas SC Real Monarchs [23][24]
7 United States Nelson Pierre Philadelphia Union II Forward 2 goals vs Red Bulls II Toronto FC II [25][26]

See also

References
  1. "Seven MLS Affiliated Clubs To Join MLS Next Pro In 2023". mlsnextpro. August 4, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  2. "Austin FC II Announced as Austin FC's MLS NEXT Pro team". Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  3. Veliz, Julian (March 26, 2023). "Match Report: Austin FC II vs. Houston Dynamo 2". Austin FC. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  4. "Crown Legacy FC Earned a Point in Inaugural Match". Charlotte Football Club. March 26, 2023. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  5. Turner, Scott (March 26, 2023). "Huntsville City Football Club wins penalty kick shootout in MLS NEXT Pro debut". AL.com. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  6. Arant, Alex (March 26, 2023). "Eyestone Stands Tall as North Texas SC downs 10-man LAFC 2". 3rdDegree.net. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  7. Lewis, Michael (March 10, 2023). "END OF THE LINE: Rochester NY FC (formerly the Rhinos) ceases operations". Front Row Soccer. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  8. "MLS NEXT Pro Announces 2023 Schedule and New Playoffs Format". MLS Next Pro. March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  9. "MLS Next Pro – Statistics – Goals". MLS Next Pro. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  10. "Whitecaps FC 2 vs LA Galaxy II". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. April 16, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
  11. "MLS Next Pro – Statistics – Assists". MLS Next Pro. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  12. "MLS Next Pro – Statistics – Clean Sheets". MLS Next Pro. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  13. "MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Opening Matchday: Arquimides Ordóñez". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. March 28, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  14. "MLS NEXT Pro Team of the Opening Matchday: MNUFC2". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. March 29, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  15. "MLS NEXT Pro Player of Matchday 2: Brandon Cambridge". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  16. "MLS NEXT Pro Team of Matchday 2: Colorado Rapids 2". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  17. Chavez, Ramon (April 10, 2023). "MLS NEXT Pro Player of Matchday 3: Favian Loyola". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  18. Rolstad, Skylar (April 10, 2023). "MLS NEXT Pro Team of Matchday 3: New England Revolution II". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  19. "MLS NEXT Pro Player of Matchday 4: Aaron Bibout". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. April 17, 2023. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  20. Rolstad, Skylar (April 17, 2023). "MLS NEXT Pro Team of Matchday 4: Austin FC II". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  21. "MLS NEXT Pro Player of Matchday 5: Ryan Bilichuk". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  22. Rolstad, Skylar (April 24, 2023). "MLS NEXT Pro Team of Matchday 5: Whitecaps FC 2". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  23. Rolstad, Skylar (May 1, 2023). "MLS NEXT Pro Player of Matchday 6: Yosuke Hanya". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  24. Chavez, Ramon (May 1, 2023). "MLS NEXT Pro Team of Matchday 6: Real Monarchs". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  25. Rolstad, Skylar (May 8, 2023). "MLS NEXT Pro Player of Matchday 7: Nelson Pierre". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  26. Chavez, Ramon (May 8, 2023). "MLS NEXT Pro Team of Matchday 7: Toronto FC II". MLSNextPro.com. MLS Next Pro. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
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