Key Takeaways
- 489 coaches enrolled for express check-in at MLS NEXT Fest, generating 1,000+ transactions with sub-one-second identification times
- MLS extends its Wicket agreement to cover multiple 2026 league and youth events after successful 2025 deployments
- Three major youth events targeted in 2026: Generation Adidas Cup, MLS NEXT Flex, and MLS NEXT Cup
- Wicket is already in use by LAFC, Columbus Crew, and Atlanta United
- Future initiatives include biometric ticketing, payments, and fan data insights
From Spreadsheets to Sub-Second Check-In
Before Wicket, MLS NEXT Fest check-in ran on spreadsheets. Coaches arriving at peak times faced long lines, manual voucher tracking, and the kind of friction that leaves a bad first impression at a high-stakes recruiting event.
MLS NEXT Fest draws 400 youth soccer teams and hundreds of professional, national team, and college scouts to the 1,000+ acre Empire Polo Ground in California, the same venue that hosts Coachella. At that scale, across dozens of fields, the old process simply didn’t hold up.
Through the MLS Innovation Lab, MLS partnered with Wicket to replace it entirely.
How the System Worked at MLS NEXT Fest
Coaches enrolled ahead of the event by submitting their registration form and a photo. On arrival, they walked up to a dual-screen kiosk that identified them in under one second and welcomed them by name. A second screen gave staff an instant view of the guest’s identity so they could hand off daily meal vouchers without delay.
A custom Wicket webhook populated guest activity into a live spreadsheet in real-time, giving organizers full accountability across the event without manual data entry.
The result: 489 enrolled coaches, 1,000+ total transactions, and virtually no wait times across the multi-day event. One anonymous survey respondent put it plainly: “MLS NEXT continues to improve for scouts and recruiters. Thanks for paying attention and making the experience better for coaches.”
Three Youth Events on the 2026 Calendar
Building on those results, MLS is expanding Wicket’s role across its flagship 2026 youth competitions. Generation Adidas Cup runs March 27 through April 4, followed by MLS NEXT Flex in late April, and MLS NEXT Cup wrapping at the end of May. These events collectively bring together thousands of players, coaches, and staff from across North America.
Beyond Credentialing
The expanded agreement also covers applications outside event operations. MLS and Wicket are developing initiatives around biometric ticketing, in-venue payments, and fan data collection to help clubs better understand attendance behavior and engagement patterns.
“Wicket’s technology aligns with our goal of delivering best-in-class experiences for players, staff, and fans, which is incredibly valuable during 2026, an iconic year that will be full of opportunity for both our sport and our league,” said Chris Schlosser, MLS SVP of Emerging Ventures, Apple Partnership.
LAFC, Columbus Crew, and Atlanta United already run the Wicket platform independently. The expanded league-level agreement brings more coordination between those club deployments and centralized event operations as the 2026 MLS season kicks off February 21.
Operational Proof, Now at Scale
The MLS NEXT Fest case study demonstrates what biometric check-in looks like when it works at a logistically complex, multi-day outdoor event. The 2026 expansion moves that proof of concept into a broader league framework, with youth development events as the primary testing ground before wider fan-facing rollouts.
Source: MLS Communications, Wicket Expands Agreement with Major League Soccer | MLS
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