San Jose Earthquakes Sign Niko Tsakiris to New Multiyear U22 Initiative Player Contract
MLS San Jose Earthquakes

San Jose Earthquakes Sign Niko Tsakiris to New Multiyear U22 Initiative Player Contract

Published on February 18, 2026 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Jose Earthquakes News Release


SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Earthquakes have signed midfielder Niko Tsakiris to a U22 Initiative Player contract through the 2028-29 season with an option for 2029-30.

"The San Jose Earthquakes are pleased to announce that Niko Tsakiris has been signed to a long-term contract," said Earthquakes Sporting Director and Head Coach Bruce Arena. "As a Homegrown U22 Initiative player, we believe Niko has a bright future and we look forward to his continued development and contributions to our team."

Tsakiris, 20, is coming off a stellar preseason where he recorded a goal contribution in each of the Earthquakes' three matches at the Coachella Valley Invitational-all wins. The attacking midfielder has carried over the positive momentum from the end of 2025, when he helped lead the United States to the quarterfinals in the 2025 Under-20 FIFA World Cup and subsequently scored his first MLS goal off a breathtaking free kick to give the Quakes a 2-1 over Austin FC in the club's regular-season finale.

"As a Homegrown Player who graduated from the Quakes Academy, it's been a great learning experience to grow up and develop in this club as a professional soccer player and as a person," said Tsakiris. "I'm proud to be able to commit to the San Jose community for the foreseeable future and I can't wait to continue accomplishing our goals together as a club."

A native of Saratoga, California, Tsakiris is entering his fifth season on the Quakes' Major League Soccer First Team after graduating from the Quakes Academy at 16 years old and signing a contract as a Homegrown Player on Jan. 13, 2022-then the fifth-youngest player in club history.

Since then, he has made 61 league appearances (33 starts), with one goal and three assists. In 2024, Tsakiris became the youngest player in the Quakes' record books to distribute an assist in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in a Round of 32 win over Oakland Roots SC. The year prior, he was one of a select few teenagers to appear in the MLS Cup Playoffs presented by Audi.

At international level, Tsakiris has earned 30 caps for the United States at the U-20 and U-23 age groups, most recently in October 2025 at the U-20 World Cup, where he drew rave reviews for his curling free kick goal in a Round of 16 triumph over Italy. In 2024, he was a finalist for U.S. Soccer Young Player of the Year.

The San Jose Earthquakes kick off their 2026 MLS schedule Saturday, Feb. 21, against Sporting Kansas City at PayPal Park, presented by Habbas Law. The club will give away 5,000 full-size soccer balls at the season opener to launch their One Ball Can Change a Life campaign.

The only way to guarantee a seat to all 2026 Earthquakes home games is by purchasing season tickets. Single-game and group tickets for matches at PayPal Park the July 25 California Clasico at Stanford Stadium vs. the LA Galaxy are now available to the general public HERE, while tickets to the Sept. 19 PRIME TIME clash with LAFC are available HERE. Fans interested in tickets for groups of 10 or more can find more information HERE or call (408) 556-7700 and select option 3.

Transaction: San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) - Earthquakes sign M Niko Tsakiris to a U22 Initiative Player contract through the 2028-29 season with an option for 2029-30.

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Major League Soccer Stories from February 18, 2026


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