CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Friday, September 5, 2025) — Charlotte FC’s Academy announced its coaching staff and competitions for the upcoming season ahead of the opening weekend of MLS NEXT’s 2025-26 campaign.
Charlotte FC’s squads will begin their season tomorrow, Sept. 6, when the Club’s U-14 side faces Wake FC while the U-15s, U-16s and U-18s take on Inter Atlanta FC. MLS NEXT Fest marks the first break in regular season play. Hosted at Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa, Arizona from Dec. 4-15, MLS NEXT Fest serves as the largest youth soccer scouting and recruiting event in North America and will feature more than 1,000 teams from at least 200 clubs.
Competitions returning in Spring 2026 include Generation adidas Cup, MLS NEXT Flex and MLS NEXT Cup, with locations and dates of each to be announced at a later date. Capping off the 2025-26 season is the MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate, which will be hosted in Charlotte, N.C. as a part of MLS All-Star festivities.
Charlotte FC has also named Kevin Martínez as the Club’s newest U-18 head coach. Martínez, a Valencia, Spain native, joins The Crown from FC Dallas, where he served as a First Team assistant coach during the 2024 season and as the Director of Sports Performance of the Academy from August 2023 to February 2024. Martínez also currently serves as an assistant coach with the U.S. U-16 and U-18 National Teams. Prior to his time in the States, Martínez served in various coaching roles throughout Spain with clubs such as PE Sant Jordi, CD Ibiza and UE Olot.
“We are excited to kick off the 2025-26 Charlotte FC Academy season tomorrow and we’re looking forward to building on a strong year,” said Charlotte FC Academy Executive Director Bryan Scales. “The Club is thrilled to welcome Kevin as our newest U-18 head coach and add him to an already outstanding coaching and support staff that bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to our players. The competition and division changes implemented this season will be a great test for our Academy as we continue to strengthen the Club’s player pathway. We’re looking forward to another exciting season from each of our teams and developing the next generation of Charlotte FC players.”
Beginning this season, MLS NEXT will see a new competition tier which will double the number of participating players and clubs, strengthening its position as the most elite platform for youth soccer in North America. Charlotte FC will compete in the top level of competition, the MLS NEXT Homegrown Division, which name reflects the direct connection to the MLS Player Pathway. Every MLS academy will compete in the Homegrown Division alongside 122 MLS NEXT Elite Academies.
On top of competition tier adjustments, MLS NEXT saw divisions realigned to promote high-quality matchups in closer proximity. For the 2025-26 season, Charlotte will compete in the Homegrown Southeast Division, which will see regular season matchups against the following clubs:
- Atlanta United FC
- Austin FC
- FC Dallas
- Houston Dynamo FC
- Inter Miami CF
- Nashville SC
- Orlando City SC
Click HERE for a full look at Charlotte FC’s 2025-26 Academy rosters.
2025-26 Charlotte FC Academy Staff:
- Bryan Scales – Charlotte FC Academy Executive Director
- Kevin Martínez – U-18 Head Coach
- Torrey Stricklin – U-16 Head Coach
- Jason Osborne – U-15 Head Coach
- Patrick Daka – U-14 Head Coach
- Jordan Melia – U-18 Assistant Coach
- Jorge Herrera – U-16 Assistant Coach
- Stephon Williams – U-15 & U-14 Assistant Coach
- Cole Carter – Lead Academy Goalkeeper Coach
- Miguel Martin – Academy Goalkeeper Coach
- Drew DeJohn – Performance Specialist
- Josh Tiller – Performance Specialist
- Matt Ford – Academy Analyst
- Emily Morris – Head Academy Trainer
- Stephanie McKeen – Academy Trainer
- Tom Morris – Head of Scouting
- Marco Diaz – Academy Scout
- Santi Jimenez – Academy Scout
- Rachel Adamkowski – Dietician
- Ferrell O’Quinn – Head of Player Welfare
- Mateo Alzate – Player Welfare Coordinator
- Yasmeen Malik – Academy Educator
- Tom Marcason – Head of Academy Operations
- Nate Gaw – Equipment Manager
- Josh Ungerer – Equipment Manager
