The Sporting Kansas City Academy has experienced a highly successful history since its formation in 2007. The program currently consists of six teams at the U-18, U-16, U-15, U-14 and U-13  levels.

Sporting KC Academy players have the opportunity to eventually join the Sporting Kansas City first team without going through the MLS draft process. In late 2006, Major League Soccer announced an initiative that created a “Homegrown Protected List” for each team. Clubs now have the opportunity to retain the professional rights of players developed within its youth academy. Sporting KC immediately began investing significant resources in the identification and development of young players from the region. Sporting KC along with all other MLS Academies, is a participant in the FIFA training compensation and solidarity payment system, as codified in FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.

The Sporting KC Academy has produced 22 Homegrown Players who have been signed to the Sporting Kansas City senior team and was named MLS Academy of the Year in 2018.

Sporting KC Homegrown Players from SKC Academy
(Age upon signing in parenthesis)

2010 – Goalkeeper Jon Kempin (17)
2011 – Defender Kevin Ellis (19)
2013 – Defender Erik Palmer-Brown (16)
2016 – Forward Daniel Salloi (19) *
2017 – Midfielder Gianluca Busio (15) 
2017 – Defender Jaylin Lindsey (17) 
2018 – Defender Matt Lewis (21)
2018 – Forward Zach Wright (22)
2018 – Midfielder Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal (19)
2018 – Forward Tyler Freeman (15) 
2019 – Midfielder Cam Duke (18) 
2019 – Midfielder Felipe Hernandez (21) 
2020 – Forward Wilson Harris (20) 
2021 – Midfielder Grayson Barber (20) 
2021 – Forward Ozzie Cisneros (16) 
2021 – Goalkeeper Brooks Thompson (18) 
2021 – Defender Kaveh Rad (19) 
2021 – Defender Kayden Pierre (18) 
2021 – Midfielder Jake Davis (19)*
2024 – Defender Ian James (16)*
2024 – Goalkeeper Jack Kortkamp (16)*
2025 – Midfielder Jacob Bartlett (19)*

* Denotes current player on Sporting KC first-team

The Academy program is fully funded, meaning the Academy covers all costs for gear and traveling expenses. All home games are played at the team's Children's Mercy Training Center at Swope Soccer Village. Sporting Kansas City and the Sporting KC Academy also offer youth camps throughout the calendar year.

The U-18, U-16, U-15 and U-14 teams play in MLS NEXT, a new elite youth competition platform that provides year-round high-level matches for MLS club academy teams and non-MLS academy teams that previously participated in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

The U-13s play competitive matches against clubs from around the Midwest, participate in Futsal leagues in the winter and travel around the world for tournaments against MLS NEXT and International Academies.

In 2016, the Sporting KC Academy launched the Center of Excellence for younger age groups. The Sporting KC COE is a supplemental training program with the aim of strengthening players' skill foundations and identifying players for Sporting KC Academy teams. 

If you have any questions, please email academy@sportingkc.com.