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Eighteen-year-old prodigy Julian Hall is set to keep lighting up Major League Soccer pitches, penning a contract extension running through the 2029–30 season with New York Red Bull on Thursday.
It represents a significant victory for both sides.
While the financial details of his new deal remain undisclosed, the standout attacker from New York City is expected to pocket a substantial pay rise, now eligible to earn up to $1 million in base salary by occupying a U-22 Initiative roster spot in his second league contract. Hall earned a base salary of $175,000 as a Homegrown signing last season, with $257,241 in guaranteed compensation, per MLSPA. Hall also makes history with the new agreement, becoming the youngest American U-22 Initiative signing in league history.
The Red Bulls' decision to tie down Hall for another four years seemed all but certain. His previous deal was set to expire after this season, a breakout 2026 campaign that has seen the teenager rapidly emerge as the most vital attacking weapon in New York's arsenal. He leads the team with nine goals and five assists in league action, a return that earned him his first MLS All-Star nod this summer. He has accumulated 16 goals and six assists across 67 appearances in all competitions during his four years at the club.
Julian Hall isn't going nowhere! 🙌
The 18-year-old signs a contract extension with the @NewYorkRedBulls through the 2029-30 MLS season. pic.twitter.com/aZFA3MRnNQ
"Julian has become an integral part of our first team, and we believe he will continue to play a key role for us," said head of sport Julian de Guzman in Thursday's announcement.
"He has earned the confidence of his teammates and coaching staff through his displays, his attitude and the way he keeps developing. This new contract reflects how highly we regard Julian and the role we envision him playing for our club."
The new agreement also ensures the Red Bulls stand to receive a sizeable transfer fee when Hall makes his expected move to European football in the years ahead, having already drawn interest from RB Leipzig and Atlético Madrid, according to The Athletic. Had Hall not signed on the dotted line, the New York club could have lost him for nothing come January.
Most crucially, however, the new contract could prove to be the smartest move for Hall's blossoming international ambitions, as he sets his sights on the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Julian Hall Awaiting Imminent USMNT Call
U.S. men's national team boss Mauricio Pochettino has yet to summon the American teenager to the senior setup; however, a call-up feels increasingly likely, particularly given Pochettino's heightened focus on U.S. Soccer youth development over this next four-year cycle. The Argentine coach could hand Hall his first senior call as early as next month, keen to begin grooming the youngster for the 2030 World Cup and utilizing the upcoming four friendlies to do so.
Hall has represented the Stars and Stripes at youth level, most recently featuring at the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. He started three of the four tournament games, as the U.S. were eliminated by Morocco in the round of 32. He has also received call-ups from the Poland Youth National Team and has attracted strong interest from Cezary Kulesza, president of the Polish Football Association.
The dual-national has yet to decide which country he wishes to represent at senior level, telling Sports Illustrated last month: "I appreciate both of my nationalities, and I've had talks with the Polish Federation, and I have also represented the U.S. as a youth player. I am just going to continue to play football."
The ultimate goal remains unchanged, however: reaching the World Cup. "I've been dreaming of it since I was a kid," Hall says. "That's something I definitely want for myself in the future."
He adds: "[The 2026 tournament] was my first World Cup I was able to watch in person, and the atmosphere and the environment, it just made me want to be on the field, be a part of it. That definitely lit a fire under me to be there next time."
Extending his stay in MLS—admittedly not as competitive a league as Europe's top five—may turn out to be precisely what Hall needs to reach that goal. Starting regularly for New York Red Bull over the next few years and consistently logging 90 minutes will provide steady development and the freedom to flourish. Warming the bench and waiting for his chance at a European giant may not deliver the same formative experience the rising star requires at this stage of his career.
"Ultimately, though, for me to get better, I had to play games and as many minutes as I could to get that experience, and that came at a lower level at MLS, rather than playing a few minutes at the first team at Bayer Leverkusen," former USMNT legend Landon Donovan said on his podcast Unfiltered Soccer.
Though signed by the German club as a teenager, the bulk of Donovan's early development came during loan spells with the San Jose Earthquakes, where he spent four seasons and claimed two MLS Cup titles. He returned to Europe several years later, following another MLS stint with the LA Galaxy.
Hall will continue accumulating that priceless experience when he and the Red Bulls face the in-form Philadelphia Union on Saturday night at Sports Illustrated Stadium.