The 2015-2016 U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy playoffs will begin on June 22nd from Toyota Park in Frisco, Texas. On Wednesday, the elite boys club soccer league’s officials held the draw for the playoffs from U.S. Soccer’s headquarters in Chicago. 

The Academy post season competition includes 32 teams from each of the U15/U16 and the U17/U18 age groups, which earned their spots in the playoffs after either finishing as one of the top three teams in their division or as one of the 11 wild cards from the national standings based off of points earned per game. The U13/U14 age group does not have any post season play, but does have a showcase event at the same location. 

The U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy is a national league that incorporates the best boys soccer clubs in the United States, as well as the academies of a couple of MLS franchises based in Canada. The Development Academy began in 2007 with the goal of improving player and coaching development in the United States. There are currently 74 clubs taking part in the Development Academy in the U15/U16 and U17/U18 age groups. 

Wednesday’s draw placed the 32 qualifying teams in each age group into eight groups. Each team in the group will play with the three games taking place over the course of five days. The winner of each group will advance to the knockout rounds of the competition. 

Last season, FC Dallas lifted the title over New York Red Bulls in the U15/U16 age group while Chicago Fire claimed the title in the U17/U18 age group over Real Salt Lake AZ. The MLS academies have been dominating the youth league with seven of the last eight national championships heading to MLS franchises. This season, 15 of the MLS academies qualified for the playoffs in the U16/U15 age group. Fourteen qualified in the older age group. Colorado Rapids and Portland Timbers were the only MLS academies not to qualify for the playoffs in either age group. 

The MLS dominance is still prevalent in this year’s competition. New York club BW Gottschee Academy, which is affiliated with New York City FC, finished the season as the No. 1 seed in the U17/U18 age group. Gottschee accumulated a 24-1-1 record through the season. FC Dallas is the No. 1 team in the U15/U16 age group after going 23-2 through the regular season. 

The top seeds found out their path to the championship on Wednesday during the draw. Check back with TopDrawerSoccer throughout June and July for previews, analysis, and recaps from the Academy postseason. 

2016 Development Academy U17/U18 Playoff Groups 

Group A

Vancouver Whitecaps (19-1-11)

DC United (15-5-6)

Vardar (15-8-2)

Chargers SC (17-10-5)

Group B 

Houston Dynamo (18-4-4)

Real Salt Lake AZ (22-6-8)

North Carolina Fusion (19-10-4)

Seattle Sounders FC (15-9-7)

Group C 

New York Red Bulls (18-4-4)

Sockers FC (17-5-3)

Sacramento Republic FC (17-8-7)

Pateadores (18-11-7)

Group D

Chicago Magic PSG (18-5-2)

Players Development Academy (16-5-5)

Montreal Impact FC (14-4-8)

Arsenal FC (16-11-9)

Group E

FC Dallas (18-4-3)

Orlando City (20-4-8)

LA Galaxy (20-6-10)

Shattuck-Saint Mary’s (12-9-4)

Group F

Crew Soccer Academy-Wolves (18-6-1)

Texas Rush (17-6-3)

Nomads SC (18-7-11)

Georgia United (17-11-5)

Group G

Philadelphia Union (17-3-6)

Kendall Soccer Coalition (20-6-6)

Chicago Fire (14-6-5)

Beachside SC (12-12-2)

Group H

BW Gottschee Academy (24-1-1)

Capital Area Railhawks-CASL (23-7-2)

Sporting Kansas City (14-8-4)

San Jose Earthquakes (16-11-5)

 

2016 Development Academy U15/U16 Playoff Groups 

Group A

Vancouver Whitecaps (23-5-3)

Philadelphia Union (15-5-6)

Real Salt Lake AZ (18-13-5)

Kendall Soccer Coalition (14-10-8)

Group B

Sockers FC (16-1-8)

FC Golden State (22-7-7)

BW Gottschee (13-7-6)

Seattle Sounders FC (15-11-5)

Group C

FC Dallas (23-2)

Capital Area Railhawks CASL (19-9-5)

Chicago Magic PSG (12-7-6)

DC United (12-9-5)

Group D

Crew Soccer Academy - Wolves (17-5-3)

Montreal Impact FC (14-5-7)

Real So Cal (20-12-4)

Sacramento Republic FC (16-13-3)

Group E

New York Red Bulls (19-1-6)

Chicago Fire (16-6-3)

Strikers FC (19-10-7)

IMG Academy (15-12-5)

Group F 

Real Colorado (16-4-6)

San Jose Earthquakes (17-9-6)

Crew Soccer Academy (12-8-5)

Orlando City SC (15-12-5)

Group G

LA Galaxy (24-9-3)

New England Revoultion (13-5-8)

Georgia United (18-12-3)

Sporting KC (12-9-5)

Group H

Weston FC (22-4-6)

Oakwood Soccer Club (16-4-6)

Crossfire Premier (16-9-6)

Pateadores (16-11-9)