US Club Soccer and US Youth Soccer have announced a joint competition platform launching for the 2026-27 season. The new structure merges the National Premier Leagues and the National League into a single competition serving 10,000 teams and more than 150,000 players across eight conferences.

All 31 league operators were announced on March 13. Registration opens in early April, with operators meeting in Atlanta the following month.

Registration walls come down

Access to the new platform is not tied to whether a club registers through US Club Soccer or US Youth Soccer. That’s a significant change. Clubs registered with either organization are eligible to participate.

“An extraordinary amount of diligence and care are being put into the creation of this new competition,” said Alexandra Rieben, US Club Soccer Senior Vice President of Programs and Partnerships. “US Club Soccer, US Youth Soccer and the ECNL are all working to provide a league platform that welcomes more players, minimizes travel, connects above and below in the current pathways structure, and elevates the best teams in the country.”

Merit based selection

Commissioner Marc Frankland, who has been involved in the oversight of national youth leagues for nearly a decade, described the competition as “exactly what youth soccer needs.”

“I’m proud to work with US Club Soccer and US Youth Soccer to develop a league that focuses more on local travel and aligns with the U.S. Soccer Pathways Strategy to create a unified, team-based competition that is player-focused and merit-based,” Frankland said.

Selection criteria for league operators included demonstrated success, operational plans, staffing, management experience, market knowledge, commitment to access and inclusivity, and player-first decision making.

US Youth Soccer CEO Tom Condone added: “We are committed to a competitive structure defined by clear standards, consistent accountability and expanded opportunity for players.”

ECNL Conference League Playoffs debut in 2027

The inaugural season will cap in summer 2027 as part of the new ECNL Conference League Playoffs. This new postseason tier combines qualifying teams from the ECNL Regional League and the joint competition platform.

Four regional playoff events are planned for the first year in Dallas, Davis, Greensboro, and St. Louis, culminating in Conference League Finals. The ECNL plans to expand to six venues the following year.

The ECNL described the playoffs as “an expansion of the ECNL Playoff structure” created “in collaboration with the new unified national competition consolidating the team-based competitions of US Club Soccer and US Youth Soccer.”

ECNL promotions for 2026-27

ECNL also announced club promotions for the coming season.

On the girls side, Team Boca moves up from the Southeast conference, Lonestar SC from Texas, and South Carolina Surf from the Mid-Atlantic. On the boys side, Coastal Rush and Tennessee United join from Mid-America, Folsom Lake Surf from Northern California, and Select MA from New England.