STWF Sports | FRISCO, Texas | June 24, 2026 — FC Dallas will once again be represented on one of the top youth soccer stages in North America.
Forward Benjamin Flowers has been named to the 2026 MLS NEXT All-Star Game, presented by Allstate, FC Dallas and MLS NEXT announced Tuesday. The selection places Flowers among 44 of the top youth players from across the United States and Canada, continuing the club’s long-standing reputation as one of Major League Soccer’s premier player development pipelines.
The MLS NEXT All-Star Game will be played Monday, July 27, at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthews, North Carolina. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT, with the match streaming live on MLS’ YouTube channel and MLSsoccer.com. The event will feature an East vs. West format and is designed to showcase some of the most promising young players in North American soccer.
For Flowers, the honor adds another major step in what has already been a fast-rising young career.
The Longview, Texas, native made his professional debut as an academy player with North Texas SC on March 21, 2026, against Houston Dynamo 2. At 14 years, 11 months and seven days old, Flowers became the second-youngest player to appear for North Texas in club history. He also became the 38th FC Dallas Academy player to make his debut in MLS NEXT Pro, another marker of the organization’s commitment to giving young talent meaningful professional opportunities.
Flowers has also tested himself in several high-level academy competitions. He competed in the MTU Cup in Germany in 2025, Copa Cronos in Guadalajara in 2023 and 2024, the Generation adidas Cup in 2026 and Dallas Cup from 2023 through 2025. Those experiences have helped expose him to different styles, levels of pressure and international competition at an early age.
On the international stage, Flowers has represented the United States at the youth level. He has earned multiple call-ups to the U-15 national team and has recorded two goals in three matches this year.
“It’s exciting and FC Dallas has been with me the whole way,” Flowers said. “It’s a small stepping stone but I’m ready for the challenge. I’m hoping to score some goals and maybe be MVP of the game.”
That confidence reflects the competitive edge that has helped Flowers become one of the top young names in the FC Dallas system. His selection also reinforces the club’s track record of producing players capable of competing at elite youth events and progressing toward professional opportunities.
Chris Hayden, FC Dallas Vice President of Youth and Boys’ Academy Director, said the All-Star selection is an important moment in Flowers’ development.
“This is a great opportunity for Benji,” Hayden said. “He’s got such a high profile and projection so opportunities like this will help Benji grow for the future. We’re really proud of him and it’s important for our club to have players representing us at this event. Benji is a super talent and he’ll represent us well.”
The MLS NEXT All-Star Game is part of a larger All-Star Week schedule. Selected players will participate in training sessions and programming throughout the week, including events surrounding the 2026 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T on July 28 and the MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime on July 29.
Players were selected following the conclusion of the 2025-26 MLS NEXT regular season and the 2026 MLS NEXT Cup presented by Allstate. Eligible players must have been born between 2009 and 2011 and competed in the MLS NEXT regular season or at least one premier MLS NEXT event, including MLS NEXT Fest, MLS NEXT Flex, Generation adidas Cup or MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs.
Flowers becomes the seventh player from the FC Dallas player development pathway to be named to the MLS NEXT All-Star Game. He joins a list that includes Isaiah Kaakoush and Steel Cook in 2025, Leonardo Orejarena in 2024, Julian Eyestone in 2023 and Malachi Molina in 2022.
For FC Dallas, Flowers’ selection is another strong signal that the academy pipeline remains active and productive. For Flowers, it is a chance to compete against elite peers, represent North Texas and take another step toward a promising future.
