St. Louis CITY SC academy forward Kane Kraus and midfielder Eddie Niles have been called up to the U.S. U-16 Men’s National Team for the upcoming Vertex Cup in Miami, Florida, from April 12-23. The U-16s will be led by head coach Paul Simpson.
Kraus and Niles, alongside their teammates, will play three matches against England on April 16, Mexico on April 19, and Argentina on April 22.
This will be Kraus and Niles ‘second call-up to the U-16s after joining the team for a domestic training camp last month. Kraus scored 10 goals in the MLS NEXT fall season and has continued his strong form this spring, recording multiple multi-goal games, including a hat trick against South Korean side Busan IPark during the 2026 Generation adidas Cup and a brace against the Colorado Rapids on March 7. Niles has seen playing time with the club’s MLS NEXT Pro side, St Louis CITY2, this season. The midfielder scored 16 times during this MLS NEXT campaign and earned Rising XI honors from MLS ahead of the 2026 Generation adidas Cup.
