2026 MLS SuperDraft commences on Thursday

CHARLOTTE FC

Charlotte FC, which moved up to pick wing Tyger Smalls with the 14th overall selection in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, have the 22nd pick in the Dec. 18, 2025, draft.

The MLS SuperDraft of collegiate players will kick off on Thursday at 2 p.m.

Charlotte FC has the 22nd (first round), 52nd (second), and the 82nd (third) picks. D.C. United will pick first, followed by Atlanta United, FC Dallas, Sporting Kansas City, and Orlando City.

Among those on the eligible list of 436 players from 150 schools is Bryce Swinehart, the son of former Charlotte Eagles star Dustin Swinehart, and a product of Charlotte FC Academy. He played the 2025 season at West Virginia after three seasons at Liberty.

Generation adidas players 

MLS has announced four players in the 2026 Generation adidas class and one pre-signed senior for the SuperDraft. Three come from ACC schools, including Nikola Markovic, a sophomore centerback from Canada who just competed for North Carolina State in the NCAA College Cup Final on Monday, Ghanaian Kwaku Agyabeng, a freshman midfielder at Clemson, and Nicholas Simmonds, a freshman forward at Virginia. The fourth is Ricky Louis, a sophomore forward at Georgia Southern.

Generation adidas is a joint program between MLS and adidas dedicated to developing exceptional amateur talent in a professional environment. Each year, a handful of top collegiate underclassmen and youth national team players are prioritized and signed by MLS, with the majority entering the league through the SuperDraft. Contracts are guaranteed up to three years, and Generation adidas players are listed on a club's supplemental roster.

A first team All-American in 2025, Markovic started 21 of the Wolfpack’s 22 matches. In those matches, N.C. State outscored opponents 48-9, which included an NCAA-best 15 shutouts. Born to Serbian parents, Markovic grew up in Canada and previously played for CF Montréal’s academy before college.

Agyabeng started 15 of 16 matches and was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team and Third Team All-ACC. Before joining the Tigers, Agyabeng starred for Cedar Stars Academy Bergen in MLS Next, helping lead their U19s to the MLS Next Cup final in 2025.

Simmonds earned first team All-American honors after scoring 10 goals and adding five assists in his freshman season for Virginia. He was also named 2025 ACC Freshman of the Year. His father, Gregory, previously played in MLS with the Miami Fusion in 2001.

Richie Aman, who won the NCAA title with Washington on Monday, was announced as a pre-signed senior. The Big Ten Midfielder of the Year was a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy. His 14 assists were the third-most in the NCAA.

Over the past five years, notable Generation adidas standouts have included Moïse Bombito (Colorado Rapids; Canada), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; United States), and Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati; United States). Last year’s top pick Manu Duah was a key starter during San Diego FC’s record-breaking expansion season.

ACC in the MLS Draft

Leading into Thursday’s draft, 349 players from ACC schools have been selected in the SuperDraft since the league launched in 1996. North Carolina and Wake Forest have had the most players selected with 51 apiece. The first was High Point native and North Carolina alumnus Eddie Pope as the second overall pick in 1996.

Chosen 12th in that draft was Charlotte FC associate head coach Miles Joseph, who was a 30-goal forward during his time at Clemson on teams that had a lot of goal scorers like Wolde Harris (76), Jimmy Glenn (68), and former Charlotte Eagles star Jon Payne (28).

The Crown have held a particular magnetism for Clemson players. Of the five ACC players they’ve drafted since 2022, three were Tigers, including George Marks (57th overall) in 2022, top overall pick Hamady Diop in 2023, and Nathan Richmond (70th overall) in 2025. The other two came from Wake Forest: Kyle Holcomb (29th) in 2022 and Jahlane Forbes (38th) in 2024.

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