Spring is here, and with its arrival comes important tournaments for the Philadelphia Union Academy squads. The U-15s and U-16s will compete in the Generation Adidas Cup, while the U-18s will compete in the Dallas Cup. It will be a time for the talented Philadelphia squads to go up against some of the top youth talent both domestically and internationally.
All times for the schedules below listed in Eastern time (ET).
Generation Adidas Cup
Taking place March 27-April 4 at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, the GA Cup features top academies, including 19 international teams from 14 different countries. The Union have an impressive history at the tournament, having won it four times and are the only MLS academy to win back-to-back championships (U-17 2023, 2024).
Ben Moane’s U-15s will be in Group G with the following schedule for the group stage:
3/27 – Sporting Kansas City, 9:30 AM
3/28 – Inter Miami CF, 9:30 AM
3/29 – Toulouse FC, 9:00 AM
The U-16s, led by head coach Peter McDonnell, are in Group F with the following schedule:
3/27 – Sporting Kansas City, 4:30 PM
3/28 – Atlanta United, 5:00 PM
3/29 – CF Monterrey, 4:30 PM
Among many players to watch, U-16 midfielder Abdoulaye Diop has been named to the GA Cup Rising XI. Travis Clark of Top Drawer Soccer said, “Since joining the Union, Diop’s profile and development have continued to accelerate. That includes a call-up to the US youth national team and emergence as a top prospect in the age group. He has the skill set and physical ability to profile as a top box-to-box talent who can make an impact on both sides of the ball.”
Dallas Cup
The Dallas Cup, a prestigious youth tournament in Dallas, Texas, that began in 1980, features boys and girls teams from U-10 to U-19, including more than 900 international players. It averages more than 100,000 spectators during the week of the tournament, and has some of the top clubs in the world.
The Union U-18s, led by Chris Harmon, will compete in the 12-team U-19 Gordon Jago Super Group which, in addition to the teams they will be facing in Group C, includes Aston Villa FC, Club Deportivo Toluca, Fulham FC, CF Monterrey, Real Salt Lake, and FC Dallas.
The Union U-18s’ schedule:
3/29 – Liberia National Team, 2:30 PM
3/30 – Sao Paulo FC, 3:00 PM
4/1: St. Louis CITY SC, 5:00 PM
The semifinals will be on 4/3, followed by the championship final on 4/5.
Watch live here: https://www.ballertv.com/events/dallas-cup-4-13-4-16-matches
Main article photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Union Academy
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