Changes to Youth Soccer Age Group Formations
Beginning with the 2026-2027 Season, the American Youth Soccer Association and US Club Soccer will be shifting from a calendar year model (birth year) to a seasonal year (grade based) model. The MLS Next League will continue with the calendar year model.
Calendar Year/Birth Year Model
Teams: MLS Next Homegrown Division, MLS Next Academy Division
Seasonal Year/Grade Based Model
Teams: ECNL, ECNL- RL, NAL, Elite Boys & Girls, FAL, Pre ECNL, Pre ECNL RL, Pre MLS 1, Pre MLS 2, Pre NAL & Pre Elite
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U19
Born between Jan 1, 2007 – Dec 31, 2007
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U18
Born between Jan 1, 2008 – Dec 31, 2008
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u17
Born between Jan 1, 2009 – Dec 31, 2009
-
u16
Born between Jan 1, 2010 – Dec 31, 2010
-
u15
Born between Jan 1, 2011 – Dec 31, 2011
-
u14
Born between Jan 1, 2012 – Dec 31, 2012
-
u13
Born between Jan 1, 2013 – Dec 31, 2013
-
u12
Born between Jan 1, 2014 – Dec 31, 2014
-
u11
Born between Jan 1, 2015 – Dec 31, 2015
-
u10
Born between Jan 1, 2016 – Dec 31, 2016
-
u9
Born between Jan 1, 2017 – Dec 31, 2017
-
u8
Born between Jan 1, 2018 – Dec 31, 2018
-
u7
Born between Jan 1, 2019 – Dec 31, 2019
-
u6
Born between Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
-
U19
Born between Aug 1, 2007 – July 31, 2008
-
u18
Born between Aug 1, 2008 – July 31, 2009
-
U17
Born between Aug 1, 2009 – July 31, 2010
-
u16
Born between Aug 1, 2010 – July 31, 2011
-
u15
Born between Aug 1, 2011 – July 31, 2012
-
u14
Born between Aug 1, 2012 – July 31, 2013
-
u13
Born between Aug 1, 2013 – July 31, 2014
-
u12
Born between Aug 1, 2014 – July 31, 2015
-
u11
Born between Aug 1, 2015 – July 31, 2016
-
u10
Born between Aug 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017
-
u9
Born between Aug 1, 2017 – July 31, 2018
-
u8
Born between Aug 1, 2018 – July 31, 2019
-
u7
Born between Aug 1, 2019 – July 31, 2020
-
u6
Born between Aug 1, 2020 – July 31, 2021
Calendar Year/Birth Year Model
Teams: MLS Next Homegrown Division, MLS Next Academy Division
-
U19
Born between Jan 1, 2007 – Dec 31, 2007
-
U18
Born between Jan 1, 2008 – Dec 31, 2008
-
u17
Born between Jan 1, 2009 – Dec 31, 2009
-
u16
Born between Jan 1, 2010 – Dec 31, 2010
-
u15
Born between Jan 1, 2011 – Dec 31, 2011
-
u14
Born between Jan 1, 2012 – Dec 31, 2012
-
u13
Born between Jan 1, 2013 – Dec 31, 2013
-
u12
Born between Jan 1, 2014 – Dec 31, 2014
-
u11
Born between Jan 1, 2015 – Dec 31, 2015
-
u10
Born between Jan 1, 2016 – Dec 31, 2016
-
u9
Born between Jan 1, 2017 – Dec 31, 2017
-
u8
Born between Jan 1, 2018 – Dec 31, 2018
-
u7
Born between Jan 1, 2019 – Dec 31, 2019
-
u6
Born between Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
Seasonal Year/Grade Based Model
Teams:
ECNL, ECNL- RL, NAL, Elite Boys & Girls, FAL, Pre ECNL, Pre ECNL RL, Pre MLS 1, Pre MLS 2, Pre NAL & Pre Elite
-
U19
Born between Aug 1, 2007 – July 31, 2008
-
u18
Born between Aug 1, 2008 – July 31, 2009
-
U17
Born between Aug 1, 2009 – July 31, 2010
-
u16
Born between Aug 1, 2010 – July 31, 2011
-
u15
Born between Aug 1, 2011 – July 31, 2012
-
u14
Born between Aug 1, 2012 – July 31, 2013
-
u13
Born between Aug 1, 2013 – July 31, 2014
-
u12
Born between Aug 1, 2014 – July 31, 2015
-
u11
Born between Aug 1, 2015 – July 31, 2016
-
u10
Born between Aug 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017
-
u9
Born between Aug 1, 2017 – July 31, 2018
-
u8
Born between Aug 1, 2018 – July 31, 2019
-
u7
Born between Aug 1, 2019 – July 31, 2020
-
u6
Born between Aug 1, 2020 – July 31, 2021
