Real Salt Lake Academy pair named to MLS NEXT All-Star Game
Jun 24, 2026, 11:52 AM | Updated: Jun 25, 2026, 12:20 pm
Real Salt Lake Academy players volunteering at the Fallen Heroes Memorial. (Photo courtesy of Real Salt Lake Academy)
(Photo courtesy of Real Salt Lake Academy)
HERRIMAN — After Major League Soccer returns from its month-long break due to the FIFA men’s World Cup, Zavier Gozo will have some company at MLS All-Star weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Real Salt Lake Academy duo Kellen Poll and Easton Wilson earned a nod to represent the West at the 2026 MLS NEXT All-Star Game, the league announced Wednesday.
Gozo, who earned his first MLS All-Star nod this summer, himself delivered the news to the duo in a video call prior to the announcement.
of course we had big bro deliver the news pic.twitter.com/9lj7qYouSn
— Real Salt Lake Academy (@RSLAcademy) June 24, 2026
The pair played significant minutes with the U16 squad in 2026 that won a historic double, becoming the first team to win a Generation adidas Cup and MLS NEXT Cup in the same season. Both players also played with the U18 group in the same season, as well.
Poll, who grew up in Syracuse and previously played for Utah Avalanche, started in all three of the academy’s U18 matches at MLS NEXT Cup this past spring. The dynamic wingback who plays on the right flank, Poll has been known as a two-way player who brings quality and consistency on both sides of the ball.
Wilson grew up in Las Vegas before enrolling at the RSL Academy on the west end of the Salt Lake Valley, but he quickly excelled as a prolific goal scorer for the Salt Lake academy side. He scored four goals and and an assist across Generation adidas Cup and MLS NEXT Cup competitions in 2026, following up on a spring showcase season that included a brace in a 2-1 win over Nashville SC at GA Cup.
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When is the MLS NEXT All-Star Game?
The MLS NEXT All-Star Game will be held in conjunction with MLS All-Star weekend, set to be host this year in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The annual all-star competition featuring 44 of the top youth soccer players across the United States and Canada who play in MLS NEXT will be played Monday, July 27 at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthews, North Carolina. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. MT and will be streamed on the MLS YouTube channel and mlssoccer.com.
Tickets are free to fans who register here and make the trip to North Carolina for the match, with parking available in various surrounding lots.
Here’s roster for the East team, coached by Jordan Melia of Charlotte FC:
- David Illegbare, Atlanta United
- Seyi Fakiyesi, Atlanta United
- Amadou Han, Cedar Stars Academy-Bergen
- Daniel Brown, Charlotte FC
- Jeremiah Alexander-Munoz, Charlotte FC
- Christopher Morales, Chicago Fire
- Connor Dale, FC Cincinnati
- Dominick Lester, FC Cincinnati
- Jamil Danjaji, Columbus Crew
- Myles Johnson, Columbus Crew
- Oscar Avilez, D.C. United
- Marcellus Singleton II, Metropolitan Oval Academy
- Levi Williams, Inter Miami CF
- William Karras, CF Montreal
- Liam Stribling, Nashville SC
- Logan Azar, New England Revolution
- Jacob Bradley, Red Bull New York
- Dylan Lawlor, New York City FC
- Caleb Trombino, Orlando City SC
- Abdoulaye Diop, Philadelphia Union
- Sammy Gallego, Philadelphia Union
- Niko Brodar, Toronto FC
Here’s the compete roster for the West team, coached by Ethan O’Neill and Matt Dorman of Seattle Sounders FC:
- Clayton Glynn Austin FC
- Ezra VanCleave, Barca Residency Academy
- Greyson Codjoe, Colorado Rapids
- Benjamin Flowers, FC Dallas
- Brogan Fitzsimons, Houston Dynamo
- Matthew Arana, Houston Dynamo
- Luca Antongirolami, Sporting Kansas City
- Alessio Benedetti, LA Galaxy
- Jaiden Paz, LA Galaxy
- Abraham Prado, LAFC
- Benajmin Failla, LAFC
- Max Harwood, Minnesota United FC
- Kellen Tamblyn, Portland Timbers
- Easton Wilson, Real Salt Lake
- Kellen Poll, Real Salt Lake
- Rocky Rommel, San Jose Earthquakes
- Basil Kuprishov, Seattle Sounders FC
- Cristopher Batiz, Seattle Sounders FC
- Blake Wilson, St. Louis CITY SC
- Drew Dowling, St. Louis CITY SC
- Daniel Carmona, Total Footbal Academy
- Manav Badwal, Vancouver Whitecaps FC
two stars are headed your way Charlotte
🔗: https://t.co/mWpx5c7OYP pic.twitter.com/RgIU1RbxdN
— Real Salt Lake Academy (@RSLAcademy) June 24, 2026
What is MLS NEXT?
MLS NEXT launched in 2020 as an elite platform for youth soccer player development in North America under Major League Soccer. Real Salt Lake Academy is the official MLS NEXT affiliate of MLS side Real Salt Lake, which has produced 49 homegrown signees all-time.
In 2026, RSL welcomed Griffin Dillon, Van Parker, Diego Rocio and Antonio Riquelme as the latest academy products to join the homegrown ranks, per a news release.
