MLS announces list of players eligible for Stage 1 of Re-Entry Draft

UPDATED:Stage 1 results

Stage 1 of the Re-Entry Draft is set to take place at 3 pm ET on Friday afternoon, with 41 players eligible to be selected by all 22 MLS teams.

Players who are out-of-contract or had their options declined and are at least 23 with a minimum of three years of MLS experience or are at least 25 with a minimum of four years of league experience are eligible for Re-Entry. Players eligible for free agency are not included in the Re-Entry process.

Any player selected in Stage 1 of the Re-Entry Draft on Friday will automatically have their contract option for 2017 exercised. If a selected player is out-of-contract, they’ll receive a bona fide offer from the team that selected them.

Stage 2 of the Re-Entry Draft will be held next Friday. Any player unselected in Stage 1 of Re-Entry will be eligible for Stage 2. If selected in Stage 2, a player will negotiate a new contract with their new club.

Players are allowed to opt out of the Re-Entry process up until the start of each draft. Players that have already opted out of Stage 1 include Robbie Keane, Aurelien Collin, Erik Friberg, Zach Loyd, Patrice Bernier and Ashtone Morgan.

The Re-Entry Draft order is determined by the reverse order of the final standings in the 2016 season, taking into account postseason performance. Chicago holds the first pick, while the two expansion clubs, Atlanta and Minnesota, will pick 21st and 22nd, respectively.

Stage 1 Re-Entry Draft eligible players

2016 Re-Entry Draft Order

as of December 16, 2016

1. Chicago Fire
2. Houston Dynamo
3. Columbus Crew SC
4. San Jose Earthquakes
5. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
6. Orlando City SC
7. New England Revolution
8. Portland Timbers
9. Philadelphia Union
10. D.C. United
11. Real Salt Lake
12. Sporting Kansas City
13. LA Galaxy
14. New York City FC
15. New York Red Bulls
16. FC Dallas
17. Montreal Impact
18. Colorado Rapids
19. Toronto FC
20. Seattle Sounders FC
21. Atlanta United
22. Minnesota United FC