The MLS SuperDraft 2021 presented by adidas will be held at 2 pm ET on Jan. 21 with expansion club Austin FC selecting first, the league announced Wednesday. The event will again be held virtually and can be watched on MLSsoccer.com, the MLS App, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as clubs make their selections. In addition, fans can follow every pick as it happens with MLSsoccer.com's SuperDraft tracker.
The 2021 SuperDraft will have three rounds, with Austin picking first in each round. Clubs will then make picks in reverse order of the 2020 regular season standings and taking into account performance in the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Clubs that received a 2021 fourth-round pick via trade will have a compensatory pick at the conclusion of the third round. Those teams include Inter Miami CF, Nashville SC, Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake.
Players eligible for selection include college seniors, Generation adidas signings and those who have waived their college eligibility by competing in a domestic professional league. The full list of draft-eligible players will be made available in the days leading up to the draft.
After the SuperDraft, pre-signed seniors, Generation adidas players and select additional draftees will join their MLS clubs for the 2021 preseason. Others may continue to compete for their college team before reporting to their MLS club in late May. The Fall 2020 college soccer season was largely upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, and now some Division I programs are eying games during the Spring 2021 semester.
A rundown of 2020 MLS SuperDraft selections can be found here. That crop included Orlando City SC striker Daryl Dike, New England Revolution center back Henry Kessler and Nashville right back Alistair Johnston.
The official rules and procedure for MLS SuperDraft 2021 presented by adidas are available here. Additional information will be provided in the coming weeks.
