The United States Soccer Development Academy is ceasing operations, effective immediately, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
U.S. Soccer announced the decision Wednesday in a joint statement from the organization’s CEO Will Wilson, sporting director Earnie Stewart and president Cindy Parlow Cone.

“This was an incredibly difficult decision to make,” the statement said, “but the extraordinary and unanticipated circumstances around the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in a financial situation that does not allow for the continuation of the Development Academy program into the future. We know that suddenly discontinuing a program that has been with U.S. Soccer for many years is shocking, but these unprecedented times required acting now.”

The Development Academy opened in 2007 and helped grow the best young soccer players in the country, producing renowned American stars like Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic and DeAndre Yedlin of Newcastle United, both of whom have been named to the United States Men’s National Team.

As the program shutters, Major League Soccer is hoping it can help replace the infrastructure by starting its own elite youth competition platform.

Moments after U.S. Soccer announced the closing of the Development Academy, MLS released a statement proclaiming its new system to develop World Cup-level talent.