Does LA Galaxy hold academy tryouts?
Dignity Health Sports Park · Carson, California · Checked October 16, 2026
No open tryouts for the LA Galaxy Academy. The club finds players through its youth camps and the Galaxy Discovery Program, a paid training program for ages 10 to 14 that you join by invitation. The club says it has signed more than 30 Academy players from camps. Older players, ages 17 to 25, can pay to enter separate MLS NEXT Pro open tryouts for the pro team.
Got a tryout? How to prepare your child, including MLS NEXT → How MLS NEXT tryouts work, in one guide →How recruitment works
Invitation after a camp or a GDP assessment, then Academy staff watch the player in training. The MLS NEXT Pro tryout is two 60-minute 9v9 games over two days.
- 01Galaxy Youth Camps
The club says it uses all its camps as scouting chances for its own Academy and pro teams. It says over 30 players from camp joined the Academy.
Official page ↗ - 02Galaxy Discovery Program (GDP)
A year-round training program for ages 10 to 14 that feeds the Academy. Players are identified at a GDP assessment or a Youth Camp, then invited by LA Galaxy staff. It is supplemental training, not a replacement for your club team.
Official page ↗ - 03MLS NEXT Pro open tryouts (ages 17 to 25)
Open tryouts for the pro team, now called Ventura County FC. Next dates listed: November 21 to 22, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Players pay a $195 fee and cover their own travel. This is not the youth Academy.
Official page ↗
- Los Angeles and Southern California
- Youth Camps and GDP assessment sessions
- MLS NEXT and elite club games
- Ask who is inviting you: the academy itself, or a camp or paid program run by the club's youth department.
- Ask whether the invitation is for one trial, a training pool or a team place. Pools can run for months.
- Ask in writing about cost, travel and school before you agree to anything.
- Tell your child's current club. MLS academies usually contact the current club first.
What to check before you agree
What parents ask about LA Galaxy
Does the LA Galaxy hold open tryouts?
Not for the youth Academy, based on the club pages we checked. It holds paid MLS NEXT Pro open tryouts for male players aged 17 to 25. The next dates listed are November 21 to 22, 2026 in Las Vegas, with a $195 fee.
How much is the Galaxy Discovery Program?
The club lists $1,350 for the full 2026/2027 year, for ages 10 to 14. Players are invited after a GDP assessment or a Youth Camp.
Practice reading the game while you wait
Soccer IQ is how a player decides what to do before the ball arrives. Our Soccer IQ game shows short match moments and asks your child to choose. It is a free early version. It is for practice and talking together. It does not predict whether a child will be picked.
League and college numbers: Youth soccer in the US: the numbers.
- LA Galaxy Youth, Galaxy Discovery Program ↗
- LA Galaxy Youth, Camps FAQ ↗
- LA Galaxy, MLS NEXT Pro tryouts ↗
Last verified October 16, 2026. Spotted a change? Tell us so we can check the page.
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