San Jose Earthquakes’ Niko Tsakiris Named to 2026 MLS 22 Under 22 Rankings

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Major League Soccer announced Tuesday that San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Niko Tsakiris has been named to the full 2026 22 Under 22 class highlighting the best young domestic and international players across the league. Players were voted on by an expert panel of MLS coaches, general managers, sporting directors, MLS on Apple TV talent and select media.  

Tsakiris, who makes his debut on the list at No. 8, has enjoyed a breakthrough season with San Jose, amassing a team-leading 11 assists and scoring three goals in just 19 matches in his first full campaign as a starter. The 21-year-old playmaker has been a key part of an Earthquakes team that set an MLS record by winning nine of their first 10 matches and has clinched their first Audi MLS Cup Playoff berth since 2023. A native of nearby Saratoga, California, and Quakes Academy graduate, the Homegrown Player also leads San Jose in several categories, namely key passes (55), chances created (50), successful crosses (31) and corner kicks taken (72).  

At international level, he helped lead the United States Under-20 Team to the quarterfinals of the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup and was nominated for the U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year award in 2024 after winning the Golden Ball as the best player at the Concacaf U-20 Championship that year.  

Topping the 2026 list is Philadelphia Union and U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Cavan Sullivan, who, at 17 years and 22 days old, becomes the youngest player ever to earn the No. 1 ranking, surpassing Alphonso Davies’ previous record of 17 years and 355 days (2018). Sullivan also becomes the second Philadelphia Union player to earn the top spot, joining Brenden Aaronson, who led the rankings in 2020.

The 2026 22 Under 22 class highlights the next generation of MLS talent, with 16 clubs represented and an average player age of approximately 20 years old. The Philadelphia Union and Red Bull New York lead all clubs with three selections each, followed by Nashville SC and the New England Revolution with two selections apiece.  

The 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.  

The group also boasts significant international experience, with 12 players earning senior national team call-ups for a combined 39 international appearances. Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall, Adri Mehmeti, Justin Ellis, Peyton Miller, Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield all debuted for the United States during the latest international window, while South African defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi leads the class with 15 senior caps, including four appearances at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Manu Duah, Ronald Donkor and Bruno Caicedo have also earned senior national team call-ups for Ghana and Ecuador, respectively. 

To be eligible for voting, players had to remain 21 or younger before Decision Day on Nov. 7, 2026, and therefore must have been born after Nov. 8, 2004.