The 2022 MLS Next Pro season is the inaugural season of
MLS Next Pro
MLS Next Pro is a men's professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that is affiliated with Major League Soccer. It launched in 2022 with 21 teams and will expand to 28 in 2023. The league comprises 27 reserve sides for MLS club ...
, the reserve league of
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Cana ...
. It is the first season since 2014 where MLS had a standalone reserve league, the previous season being the
MLS Reserve League
The MLS Reserve League was a soccer league for the reserve teams of Major League Soccer with teams in both the United States and Canada.
It was inaugurated on April 9, 2005, with the first official reserve game being a 2–0 victory by Chivas ...
. Including both MLS Next Pro and the MLS Reserve League, it is the ninth season of a reserve league operated by MLS. The league is sanctioned as a third division league by
U.S. Soccer
The United States Soccer Federation (USSF), commonly referred to as U.S. Soccer, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, the federation is a ...
.
A total of 21 clubs, 20 MLS reserve teams and one independent team (
Rochester New York FC) participate in the 2022 season. The regular season began on March 25 and was concluded on September 18, 2022.
Columbus Crew 2 defeated
St. Louis City SC 2 4-1 in the inaugural MLS Next Pro Cup final on October 8.
Teams
Stadiums and locations
Personnel and sponsorship
Regular season
The regular season will feature 24 matches in a mostly regionalized schedule. Teams will play two or three games against teams in their conference. Only four matches total will be played between teams in opposite conferences. Each conference will be divided into divisions of five or six teams for scheduling.
Conference standings
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Overall table
Player statistics
Goals
Hat-tricks
;Notes
(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team
4 – Scored 4 goals
Assists
Clean sheets
Playoffs
There was an eight-team playoff, where the top finisher in each division qualified, along with the next two top finishers in each conference. Seeding within each conference was based on conference standings, regardless of being division champions.
Qualifying teams
;Eastern Conference
*
Columbus Crew 2 - Central Division Winner
*
Toronto FC II
Toronto FC II is a Canadian professional soccer team based in Toronto, Ontario, who play in MLS Next Pro, a third tier league of the United States soccer league system. It is the reserve team and minor league affiliate of Toronto FC as well as ...
- Northeast Division Winner
*
Philadelphia Union II
Philadelphia Union II is an American professional soccer team based in Chester, Pennsylvania competing in MLS Next Pro. Founded in 2015 as Bethlehem Steel FC, the team is the official affiliate of the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer. T ...
- Conference Wild Card #1
*
Rochester New York FC - Conference Wild Card #2
;Western Conference
*
St. Louis City SC 2 - Frontier Division Winner
*
Tacoma Defiance - Pacific Division Winner
*
Houston Dynamo 2
Houston Dynamo 2 is an American professional soccer team that is located in Houston, Texas. It is the reserve team of Houston Dynamo FC and participates in MLS Next Pro.
History
On December 6, 2021, Houston Dynamo FC were named as one of 21 ...
- Conference Wild Card #1
*
North Texas SC - Conference Wild Card #2
Bracket
Conference Semifinals
Eastern Conference
----
Western Conference
----
Conference Finals
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
2022 MLS Next Pro Cup
Most Valuable Player:
Marco Micaletto (
Columbus Crew 2)
League awards
Individual awards
MLS Next Pro Best XI
Monthly awards
See also
*
2022 Major League Soccer season
The 2022 Major League Soccer season was the 27th season of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. The league had 28 clubs following the addition of Charlotte FC as an expansion team.
The ...
References
External links
MLS Next Pro
{{DEFAULTSORT:2022 MLS Next Pro season
MLS Next Pro
MLS Next Pro is a men's professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that is affiliated with Major League Soccer. It launched in 2022 with 21 teams and will expand to 28 in 2023. The league comprises 27 reserve sides for MLS club ...
Mls Next Pro
MLS Next Pro is a men's professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that is affiliated with Major League Soccer. It launched in 2022 with 21 teams and will expand to 28 in 2023. The league comprises 27 reserve sides for MLS club ...
Mls Next Pro
MLS Next Pro is a men's professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that is affiliated with Major League Soccer. It launched in 2022 with 21 teams and will expand to 28 in 2023. The league comprises 27 reserve sides for MLS club ...
MLS Next Pro seasons