Private company
Logo: Unknown, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3
American soccer development program
Generation Adidas is a joint venture between Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer aimed at raising the level of young professional soccer talent in the United States. The program, sponsored by Adidas, offers professional-ready players in the U.S. developmental system not yet eligible for the MLS SuperDraft early entry, allowing MLS to compete with foreign professional clubs without comparable restrictions on player signing. From its establishment in 1997 to 2005, the program was sponsored by Nike and was called Project-40.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0
Last updated Oct 21, 2026.
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Generation Adidas is a joint venture between Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer aimed at raising the level of young professional soccer talent in the United States. The program, sponsored by Adidas, offers professional-ready players in the U.S. developmental system not yet eligible for the MLS SuperDraft early entry, allowing MLS to compete with foreign professional clubs without comparable restrictions on player signing. From its establishment in 1997 to 2005, the program was sponsored by Nike and was called Project-40. Originally intended to improve the U.S. national team player pool, American national team eligibility is no longer required for program entry.2
The 2023 class was announced on December 19, 2022, prior to the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. The first five picks in the draft, including top pick Hamady Diop from Clemson, were Generation Adidas players.
The two-member 2024 class was announced on December 19, 2023, the same day as the 2024 MLS SuperDraft.
The 2025 class was announced on December 18, 2024, prior to the 2025 MLS SuperDraft.
From Wikipedia’s article on Generation Adidas, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4
The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.
