Starting with the 2026-27 season, youth soccer will move from the current calendar-year (January-December) model to a seasonal-year (August-July) model for age grouping.

Current System: 

Birth year (January 1 - December 31)

New System: 

Seasonal year (August 1 - July 31)

This aligns age groups with the school year, placing players with their school-grade peers.

U.S. Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and AYSO agreed to this change based on extensive research and feedback. 

The key reasons include:

Better alignment with school-grade peers for social and developmental benefits

Increased inclusivity and participation opportunities

Unified approach across major youth soccer organizations

Expert recommendations supporting the school-year model

The change will take effect for the 2026-27 seasonal year.

This means:

The 2025-26 season will continue to use the current calendar-year model

Starting August 2026, all competitive programs will use the new seasonal-year model. 

We will be working towards this transition throughout the 2025-26 year by reviewing rosters & birthdates, designing processes for school-year group trainings, tryouts, & evaluations, and providing resources for our families.

Our club leadership and coaching staff are actively preparing for this transition:

Reviewing rosters: Analyzing all current rosters and birthdates to project team impacts

Planning tryouts: Designing new processes for school-year group trainings, tryouts, and evaluations

Clear communication: Providing early and transparent updates on timelines and rationale

Support resources: Creating dedicated program pages that reflect this change.

Staying compliant: Monitoring updates from governing bodies to ensure we follow all new guidelines

We are committed to creating the best processes to support players and families.

We understand that jersey number conflicts may arise as players transition to new age groups. We will communicate specific guidelines regarding jersey numbers and any necessary replacements as we finalize our transition plan for the 2026-27 season. 

Our goal is to find solutions that are fair and reasonable for all families affected by this change.

We will continue to share updates, timelines, and detailed information as it becomes available. In the meantime:

Contact your program director: Reach out to your program director with specific questions

Check official announcements: Read the full US Club Soccer article for comprehensive details

 Watch for updates: We will provide more information as we finalize our transition plan