Major League Soccer today confirmed long-standing rumors of a significantly changed MLS SuperDraft. The new draft, set to take place Thursday, January 9 at 12:00pm Eastern, will be decentralized, with clubs free to make their selections from their home markets rather than gathering in one venue. Accordingly, the long-standing tradition of holding the draft at the United Soccer Coaches convention has been scrapped.
While the event is no longer going to serve as a communal gathering for coaches, technical staffs, and fans, the procedure will remain intact. No team has lost picks they previously held. There will be 26 picks per round, meaning that the full draft will include 104 picks.