FRISCO - After securing a return to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs thanks to their stellar regular season performances, the FC Dallas U-16 and U-18 teams learned of their postseason opponents earlier this week.
The USSDA announced the playoff groupings for the Academy Playoffs, which take place from June 22 - 26 in Westfield, Indiana.
In both the U-15/16 and U-17/18 age groups, 32 teams qualified for the playoffs. As such, the USSDA organized those teams into eight groups of four teams.
The U-16 Dallas team was placed into Group F and is joined by Crew SC Academy Wolves, New York City FC and Baltimore Armour.
The U-18 squad for Dallas was put into Group C and will play New York Red Bulls, Seattle Sounders FC and Beachside Soccer Club.
Both Dallas teams earned a top eight seeding during the regular season, meaning they are the highest ranked teams in each of their groups. The only way to advance past the Group Stage of the 2017 Academy Playoffs is to win a group.
The eight group winners then compete in the quarterfinals for a spot in the semifinals, which take place at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, California.
FC Dallas is the defending champion in both age groups, and the first academy program to win both titles in the same year. Dallas has also won the U-15/16 championship in each of the last two years.
