Generation Adidas Cup

About Generation Adidas Cup

History, Format, Organization, Media Coverage

The Generation Adidas Cup is a U.S. knockout cup competition organized by Major League Soccer (MLS) for under-17 MLS academy teams. Formerly known as the SUM U-17 Cup, it was founded in 2007 as an MLS-exclusive event until it began inviting international clubs in 2014.

Initially, the tournament featured 16 sides divided into four groups of four. However, in the 2013-2014 season, it shifted to 12 teams split into three groups of four. Nine domestic clubs qualified through a preliminary round, while three international teams participated, with each group containing one international outfit. A second division was established for MLS sides that failed to qualify for the competition proper.

The main competition, originally called the “International Division,” was renamed the “Champions Division” in 2015. The number of international clubs per group was increased from one to two, thus reducing the number of MLS participants from nine to six. Each match consists of two 35-minute halves, with no extra time in the event of a draw during either the group or knockout stages. Group-stage games go directly to penalty shootouts after regular time, where the shootout winner earns two points and the loser one. Group winners and the best runner-up advance to the knockout stage.

D.C. United reached the Generation Adidas Cup final in its first four editions, winning three times, with its only loss to Real Salt Lake in 2008. Despite this, River Plate became the first club to win this competition for three consecutive seasons, lifting the title from 2015 to 2017. Stoke City was the first international Generation Adidas Cup champion, achieving this feat in 2014.