Major League Soccer (MLS) today unveiled the full 2026 22 Under 22 class,
highlighting the best young players across the league, with LAFC midfielder
Jude Terry making his first appearance on the list.
Terry signed a MLS Homegrown contract in 2025, becoming the eighth
homegrown player in LAFC history after originally joining the LAFC Academy
as a 12-year-old in 2021 from Legends FC. He made his first-team debut this
year, registering his first goal on April 11 against the Portland Timbers. In
total, Terry has two goals and one assist across 17 appearances for LAFC
this season, while also appearing four times for LAFC2 with two goals,
including the opening score in LAFC2’s defeat of the Houston Dynamo 2 in
the first round of the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs.
The Chula Vista, CA, native represents LAFC’s 13th selection to the 22 Under
22 list since the club began play in 2018. LAFC has had at least one player
included in the 22 Under 22 ranking every season except for 2023 and has
landed multiple players on the list three times: 2018, 2019, and 2025.
HISTORY OF LAFC SELECTIONS IN MLS 22-UNDER-22
2026: Jude Terry (20)
2025: Nathan Ordaz (8), David Martínez (5)
2024: David Martínez (19)
2022: Kwadwo Opoku (9)
2021: Brian Rodríguez (4)
2020: Brian Rodríguez (2)
2019: Brian Rodríguez (4), Diego Rossi (1)
2018: Eduard Atuesta (16), Andre Horta (13), Latif Blessing (11), Diego Rossi
(3)
The 2026 class underscores the continued impact of MLS player development
pathways, with 17 players having competed in MLS NEXT, 16 in MLS NEXT
Pro, and 15 signing Homegrown contracts. Players were voted on by an
expert panel of MLS coaches, general managers, sporting directors, MLS on
Apple TV talent, and select media.
To be eligible for voting, players had to remain 21 or younger before Decision
Day on November 7, 2026, and therefore must have been born after
November 8, 2004.
