Major League Soccer announced Tuesday it will introduce a modified format for its 2016 Expansion Draft as it prepares for two new teams, Atlanta United and Minnesota United FC, to join the league next season.
The two new franchises will select five players, as opposed to 10 two years ago, and each existing team will lose no more than one unprotected player. The 20 existing clubs will be able to protect 11 players plus Generation adidas players who do not graduate from the program at the end of the season. Homegrown Players on a club's supplemental roster will also be unavailable for selection. You can view the full 2016 Expansion Draft rules here.
The Expansion Draft will take place on Dec. 13, 2016 at 11 a.m. PT, just three days after the MLS Cup final. The MLS Player Combine may also be moving from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Los Angeles, where the MLS SuperDraft is held in January, according to an earlier report by SI's Grant Wahl.
