NEW YORK (September 13, 2016) - Major League Soccer today announced the details for the Expansion Draft as Atlanta United and Minnesota United FC prepare for their inaugural MLS seasons in 2017.
The Expansion Draft will be held on Tuesday, December 13 at 2 p.m. ET and consist of five rounds, allowing Atlanta and Minnesota to select up to five players each from the list of eligible MLS players.
The 20 current MLS clubs will have the ability to protect 11 players from their rosters. These 11 protected players, in addition to Generation adidas players who do not graduate from the program at the end of the season and Homegrown Players on a club's Supplemental or Reserve roster, will not be eligible for selection in the Expansion Draft. All remaining MLS players will be available for selection by the two expansion clubs.
Each MLS club may lose a maximum of one player in the Expansion Draft. Once a player is selected from a club's unprotected roster, that club is removed from the Expansion Draft process and may not lose any further players.
For the full 2016 Expansion Draft Rules, please CLICK HERE.
In advance of the Expansion Draft, MLS will hold the Expansion Priority Draft, a priority selection process used when more than one expansion club enters the League in the same season. A coin flip will decide which club - Atlanta United or Minnesota United FC - will receive the first selection in the Expansion Priority Draft. After the first selection, the Draft will continue with alternating club picks. The Expansion Priority Draft will be held on Oct. 16.
The Expansion Priority Draft will determine Atlanta United and Minnesota United FC's selection ranking in the below six player acquisition methods:
- 2016 MLS Expansion Draft (Picks 1 & 2)
- 2017 MLS SuperDraft (Picks 1 & 2)
- Allocation Ranking Order (Ranks 1 & 2)
- 2016 Waiver Draft and Re-Entry Draft Ranking (Ranks 21 & 22)
- Discovery Player Ranking (Ranks 21 & 22)
- USL/NASL Player Priority Ranking (Ranks 1 & 2)
For more information on the above player acquisition methods, please CLICK HERE.
