Generation adidas Cup Day 3: Philadelphia & New England U16s top LIGA MX foes

D.C. United, Cedar Stars Academy, Columbus Crew, LAFC, FC Cincinnati, and more advance to the Championship Bracket

Mar. 30, 2026 at 2:40pm

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The final day of the 2026 Generation adidas Cup saw several MLS academy teams defeat their LIGA MX counterparts, securing spots in the tournament's Championship Bracket. D.C. United, Cedar Stars Academy, Columbus Crew, LAFC, FC Cincinnati, and others all earned victories or draws to progress to the next round.

Why it matters

The Generation adidas Cup is a prestigious youth soccer tournament that showcases the top talent from MLS and LIGA MX academies. These results demonstrate the growing strength of MLS youth development, as several American teams were able to defeat their Mexican opponents and advance in the competition.

The details

D.C. United's U15s pulled off a 1-0 upset over FC Barcelona, while Cedar Stars Academy defeated the New England Revolution 2-1. The Columbus Crew rallied to beat Houston Dynamo FC 2-1, and LAFC cruised past Mile Gully Football Team 3-0. FC Cincinnati drew 2-2 with Seongnam FC but earned enough points to top their group, and Orlando City and Seattle Sounders FC played to a 2-2 draw with Seattle winning on penalties.

  • The final day of the 2026 Generation adidas Cup took place on March 30, 2026.

The players

Marco Vita

A player for D.C. United's U15 team who scored the lone goal in their 1-0 upset victory over FC Barcelona.

Christopher Fitanidis

A player for Cedar Stars Academy who scored the game-winning goal in their 2-1 victory over the New England Revolution.

Dax Munson

A player for Houston Dynamo FC who scored the opening goal in their 2-1 loss to the Columbus Crew.

Shane Jagtiani

A player for LAFC who scored twice in their 3-0 win over Mile Gully Football Team.

Gyubin Kwak

A player for Seongnam FC who scored both goals in their 2-2 draw with FC Cincinnati.

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What they’re saying

“Defeating a club like Barcelona is a huge accomplishment for our academy. It shows the quality of talent we're developing.”

— Marco Vita, D.C. United U15 player

What’s next

The teams that finished first in their groups will now advance to the Championship Bracket, where they will compete for the overall Generation adidas Cup title.

The takeaway

The results from Day 3 of the Generation adidas Cup demonstrate the growing strength of MLS youth development, with several American academy teams defeating their LIGA MX counterparts and advancing to the tournament's knockout rounds. This is a positive sign for the future of soccer in the United States.