NEWS: The Town FC Announces 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Season

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes’ MLS NEXT Pro team, The Town FC, announced today its schedule for the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro regular season.

Led by head coach Dan DeGeer, The Town FC returns for a fourth season in MLS NEXT Pro after closing the 2024 campaign with six wins in the last seven games to earn the Pacific Division title and a home playoff game for the first time. In only his second full season as head coach, Dan DeGeer not only led TTFC to their best regular-season finish ever with 51 points, the team advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals for the second consecutive campaign.

This season, The Town FC will open on the road Friday, March 14, against the Tacoma Defiance (7 p.m. PT) and at home on Saturday, April 19, against Minnesota United FC 2 at The Park at Saint Mary’s in Moraga, California (5 p.m. PT).

The League’s fourth season will begin Friday, Mar. 7 – the earliest in its history. Twenty-nine clubs will compete again this year, 27 MLS affiliates and two independent teams; Carolina Core FC and Chattanooga FC. The complete 2025 regular season schedule is available on MLSNEXTPro.com.

High potential soccer players in North America continue to hone their craft in MLS NEXT Pro and advance through the pro player pathway. Since the launch of the league in 2022, more than 155 players have signed MLS first-team contracts after competing in MLS NEXT Pro, many going on to have an impact on their MLS teams and national teams.

For the third consecutive year the majority of regular season matches, in addition to all Decision Day matches, playoff matches and MLS NEXT Pro Cup, will be available to watch live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Available in more than 100 countries and regions, MLS Season Pass can be viewed on billions of devices through the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, game consoles, and online at tv.apple.com. The remainder of regular season matches will stream live on MLSNEXTPro.com.

Schedule Format

The 2025 regular season will consist of 406 matches, with each Club playing 28 matches – 14 at home and 14 away - over a 30-week span. Clubs will face each divisional opponent a maximum of three times as well as other intraconference rivals to round out this year's schedule.

Decision Day

Twenty-eight of the League’s 29 clubs will compete on the final day of the regular season, Sunday, Oct. 5. 14 matches will take place to determine final playoff positioning, with eight teams in each conference qualifying for the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs. Eastern Conference matches will kick off at 10 a.m. PT, followed by the Western Conference at 1 p.m. PT. All Decision Day matches will air live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Pick-Your-Opponent Returns

The 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs will feature 15 single elimination matches over the course of four consecutive weekends, with three rounds beginning the weekend of Oct. 17 and culminating with MLS NEXT Pro Cup the weekend of Nov. 7.

Matchups during the first two rounds of the Playoffs will be determined through the Pick-Your- Opponent format that has garnered much acclaim since its inception in 2023. This season will mark the third straight year the unique process has been utilized by MLS NEXT Pro.

All MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs and MLS NEXT Pro Cup will air live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

About MLS NEXT Pro

Launched in 2022 by Major League Soccer, MLS NEXT Pro is a professional men’s soccer league in the United States and Canada that completes the pro player pathway from MLS NEXT to MLS first teams. To date, more than 155 players have signed MLS first team contracts after competing in MLS NEXT Pro. The League continues to grow the game through innovation and inclusion, bringing professional soccer to new communities and creating opportunities both on and off the field. MLS NEXT Pro enters its fourth season in 2025 with 29 teams, 27 MLS-affiliated and two independent, Carolina Core FC and Chattanooga FC. Additional MLS-affiliated and independent clubs will join in the years ahead, including Cleveland, Jacksonville Armada FC, Connecticut United FC and West Michigan Soccer. MLS NEXT Pro matches are broadcast on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV as part of the groundbreaking partnership between Apple and MLS. For more information about MLS NEXT Pro, visit mlsnextpro.com.