By Canadian Press

Canadian MLS academy sides face elite opposition at Generation Adidas Cup tournament

Apr 11, 2025 | 8:45 AM

There are some familiar names on Toronto FC’s roster for the Generation Adidas Cup, the elite youth tournament featuring MLS academies and clubs from around the world.

Kervon Kerr, brother of Toronto FC striker Deandre Kerr, is on TFC’s under-16 side while Obasi Thompson, brother of Toronto midfielder Kosi Thompson, is on the U-18 team. Brothers John and Richard Chukwu, a Canadian youth international, are on the U-16 and U-18 rosters, respectively.

The 16th edition of the tournament kicks off Saturday at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and runs through April 20 featuring 80 teams from 14 different countries. International sides include Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Manchester City, Mexico’s Club America and Brazil’s Palmeiras.

CF Montreal and the Vancouver Whitecaps also have teams entered in the U-16 and U-18 competition.

For the first time, the tournament also includes a girls division with two all-star teams from top U.S. academies and sides from Bayern Munich and Manchester City in an under-16 round-robin event.

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It’s a busy schedule with teams playing seven 60-minute matches with the championship games in both age groups extended to 70-minute matches. Games tied at the end of regulation time go directly to a penalty shootout.

“So there’s the physical challenge of playing seven games in nine days,” said Paul Stalteri, the former Canada captain who is coaching Toronto’s U-16 side.

“It’s fierce competition. Really hard,” he added. “You have all the MLS sides and then you have a bunch of top clubs from around the world … It’s a little bit tricky at times. It’s a good challenge for the boys.”

Stalteri coached Toronto’s U-17 entry at the tournament last year, finishing second in its group behind Mexico’s Necaxa. The age groups have switched this year from U-15 and U-17 to U-16 and U-18.

Toronto’s under-16 side opens Saturday against FC Tokyo before playing the Chicago Fire on Sunday and Colorado Rapids on Monday.

“It’s an exciting team … Since the Christmas break, the team’s been step-by-step better and better,” Stalteri said of his young charges.

Sixteen teams advance to the single-elimination championship bracket — the 10 group winners and top six runners-up. The rest continue in consolation play.

The Whitecaps U-16 entry faces FC Dallas, Nashville SC and the New York Red Bulls while Montreal takes on U-16 sides from Mexico’s Deportivo Toluca FC, Houston Dynamo and Los Angeles Galaxy.

At the under-18 level, Toronto faces Brazil’s Palmeiras on Saturday, the Houston Dynamo on Sunday and Portland Timbers on Monday. Vancouver plays Minnesota United, England’s Leicester City and the New York Red Bulls while Montreal takes on Bolivia’s Club Bolivar, FC Dallas and Inter Miami CF.

Toronto’s U-18 roster also includes Canadian youth internationals Nathaniel Abraham, Dominic Kantorowicz, Antone Bossenberry and Tim Fortier.

It’s a showcase tournament drawing scouts from around the world.

Spain’s Valencia CF won the under-15 title in 2024 while the Philadelphia Union captured the U-17 age group.

The Union defeated a Los Angeles Galaxy side featuring Dylan Vanney, son of current Galaxy and former Toronto coach Greg Vanney, in the final

Philadelphia joined the Seattle Sounders (2019 and 2022) as MLS clubs to win the U-17 age group in consecutive editions of the tournament. The Union youth side featured homegrown midfielder Cavan Sullivan, who entered the league record book when he made his MLS debut in July 2024 at the age of 14 years 293 days.

Philadelphia has captured three Generation Adidas Cup titles — 2024 (U-17), 2023 (U-17), and 2012 — tying D.C. United and Argentina’s River Plate for the most in the competition’s history.

Toronto’s U-15 side beat Arsenal 3-0 in a quarterfinal penalty shootout last year before losing to France’s Toulouse in the semifinal.

Stefan Kapor captained that U-15 side and was named to the tournament’s Best XI team. Kapor, a 15-year-old defender who signed a contract with TFC’s reserve side in February, is on Toronto’s U-18 roster this year.

TFC entries have a combined three championship appearances at the GA Cup.

In 2019, Toronto’s U-15 team advanced to the championship final to face Liga MX’s Chivas de Guadalajara, falling short in a penalty shootout.

In 2012, Toronto’s U-15 and U-17 teams lost in the championship game to Mexico’s Chivas de Guadalajara (in extra time) and Pennsylvania’s FC Delco (in a penalty shootout), respectively.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2025.

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press