Teenage stars are taking over MLS and the world is starting to notice

Teenagers are making an unprecedented impact in MLS, with several league records already within reach in the 2026 season. Scottish sports journalist and content creator. After running his own soccer-related projects, in 2022 he joined Diario AS, where he mainly reports on the biggest news from around Europe's leading soccer clubs, Liga MX and MLS, and covers live games in a not-too-serious tone. Likes to mix things up by dipping into the world of American sports. Scottish sports journalist and content creator. After running his own soccer-related projects, in 2022 he joined Diario AS, where he mainly reports on the biggest news from around Europe's leading soccer clubs, Liga MX and MLS, and covers live games in a not-too-serious tone. Likes to mix things up by dipping into the world of American sports. When you think of Major League Soccer in 2026, veteran superstars such as Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Robert Lewandowski may spring to mind first for many. However, close followers of the league will point out that MLS is actually playing a key role in leading soccer's youth revolution. A number of statistics exist to back up that view. In 2025, 83 teenagers got game time in MLS, which was a league record. However, it is only a matter of time before that number is matched and surpassed, with 81 teens having made appearances in MLS games in the 2026 season through Aug. 24. That is despite there being around 40% of the season still to play. If you're keen on youth being given a chance, which most sports fans are, then those figures are hugely impressive, no matter which way you look at them. 🚨 JULIAN HALL HAT-TRICK 🚨 He's now the youngest player in MLS history to score a hat-trick! History for the 18-year-old!! pic.twitter.com/GULV66EGrh — Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 14, 2026 MLS is giving teenagers a chance Staying in a soccer context, other major leagues have been less reluctant to place their faith in teenage talents. In their 2025-26 seasons, 64 teenagers got on the field in the Bundesliga in Germany, followed by the Premier League (58), Liga MX (51), LaLiga (47) and Serie A (46). Only France's Ligue 1 (110), Argentina's Liga Profesional de Fútbol (92) and Brazil's Serie A (85) placed more emphasis on youth. And if we look beyond soccer, the phenomenon is amplified even further. In the most recent seasons of four of the United States and North America's other major sporting leagues, more than twice as many teenagers have appeared in MLS than in the NHL (23), NBA (16), MLB (1) and NFL (0) combined. In terms of their actions on the field, the records for the most teenagers to score a goal (25), total number of goals scored by teenagers (55) and combined teen goal contributions (106) are on the verge of being broken, while the overall minutes played by teens is expected to be smashed. Cavan Sullivan slams it! 🔥 The 16-year-old doubles the Philadelphia lead and celebrates Lebron-style. pic.twitter.com/Wb3QVa0ldx — Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 6, 2026 Cavan Sullivan leads the way Philadelphia Union's Cavan Sullivan, who has agreed to join Premier League club Manchester City when he turns 18 and has been tipped to make his debut for the USMNT this month before his 17th birthday, has stolen much of the spotlight. The midfielder has scored three goals in his last three games and is now the youngest player in MLS history, and first teenager, to record a five-game goal contribution streak, doing so at 16 years and 342 days old. However, the likes of Julian Hall and Adri Mehmeti, both of the New York Red Bulls, and Zavier Gozo, who has just left Real Salt Lake for Crystal Palace in the Premier League, have also earned huge plaudits for their performances and offer hope that the future is incredibly bright for American soccer. Related stories Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere. And there's more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.