For the first time, the Impact U17 will participate in the Generation adidas Cup qualification process, which starts on Saturday, October 6, against FC Dallas, at the BMO Training Ground, in North York, Ontario.
21 MLS academy teams are participating in the qualifications in October and February to determine who will play in the Champions and the Premier division in April 2019. The teams are split into three groups of seven, and each team will play six qualification games, one against each team of the group. In the end, the first two teams of each group and the two best third places teams will make it into the Champions division, while the other teams will be placed in the Premier division.
The Impact is in the same group as Toronto FC, the Houston Dynamo, the Chicago Fire, the Columbus Crew SC, FC Dallas and Sporting Kansas City.
Here is the complete qualifications schedule for the Impact U17:
Saturday, October 6, noon: FC Dallas – BMO Training Ground, North York
Monday, October 8, 2:30pm: Sporting Kansas City – BMO Training Ground, North York
Saturday, October 13, 10am: Toronto FC – Centre Nutrilait, Montreal
Friday, February 15, 11am: Columbus Crew SC – Houston Sports Park, Houston
Saturday, February 16, 1:30pm: Chicago Fire – Houston Sports Park, Houston
Monday, February 18, 10:30am: Houston Dynamo – Houston Sports Park, Houston
Last year, the Impact U17 didn’t participate in the qualifications, so they were automatically placed in the Premier Division in Frisco, Texas.
The team finished first of its group, lost the semifinal 2-1 against the Seattle Sounders FC, and then won the final for third place 3-2 against the Mexican club of CF Monterrey.
The Impact U17 just ended its first month of the 2018-2019 Development Academy season and currently has a 4-2-0 record.
