Sporting Iowa Club Updates Hub:
Youth Soccer Age Group Change - What Does It All Mean?
Over the past 18 months, the governing bodies of youth soccer in United States (US Club Soccer, US Youth Soccer, and American Youth Soccer Association) had been looking to review the decision made in 2017 by US Soccer regarding the age group “bands”, or dates determining a player’s developmental age for competition in youth soccer.
On June 10, 2025, a finalized revision of this decision was announced to move the current “calendar year age group bands (Jan 1st - Dec 31st) to an Aug 1st - July 31st time-frame, and this new age group band would be implemented for the 2026-27 season/registration year.
At Sporting Iowa, we have been reviewing our club structures, and the impact this decision will have across the organization, including our member clubs, as we look to implement this new decision in the upcoming season, and answer some key questions that have been shared with us, and other important information regarding this decision:
Timeline/Background:
- Aug 1st, 2017 - US Soccer announced a move to Jan 1st - Dec 31st age group bands, with the decision aiming to “... help create clarity, improve understanding about developmental progress and enhance playing environments as a part of the U.S. Soccer Player Development Initiatives (PDI’s)... This PDI brings youth soccer in the United States in line with the rest of the world by using a normal calendar year of each player’s birth year to determine their age group.”
- Read this full US Soccer Statement HERE.
- Oct 23, 2024 - A formal statement from the governing bodies of youth soccer regarding a review that had been commenced months early about the impact of the 2017 decision to change the age group bands. It was announced that a formal decision would look to be made in November, and the US Soccer Board of Directors Meeting.
- Read this full US Club Soccer Statement HERE.
- June 10, 2025 - The governing bodies provided an adjustment to their decision, confirming a change to Aug 1st - July 31st age group band implementation for the new upcoming 2026/27 season. This was an adjustment to the original decision of a Sept 1st - Aug 31st decision made in November 2024. “Youth soccer has been talking about January 1 vs. August 1 for years,” said Mike Cullina, US Club Soccer CEO. “From my experience managing two clubs and a league in Virginia, a range of 2-5 players per team were negatively impacted by a Jan. 1 cut-off date in their eighth grade and high school senior years. US Club Soccer’s staff and board of directors regularly communicate with our leagues and clubs, and we’ve determined that that range remains accurate today. That’s a huge number of kids who have been adversely affected by the January 1 cut-off date. While coming to this decision has taken additional time, improving the experiences of hundreds of thousands of players was worth the extra time to gather research – particularly team rosters with graduation years and school start dates – and most importantly, listen to the youth soccer community.”
- The full release update announcement can be found HERE.
- Additionally, the announcement outlined social circles (playing with fellow school classmates), and collegiate recruitment opportunities as other factors considered in the decision-making process.
- The governing bodies were key to outline:
“There is no soccer developmental benefit to any specific age group cut-off, and no age group cut-off reduces concerns of relative age effect or changes the number of players impacted by relative age effect. Relative age effect is the phenomenon of players born in the first three months after an age group cut-off to be over-represented in identification programs due to early maturation compared to their age-group peers.”
What Does This Mean At Sporting Iowa?
With all Sporting Iowa teams U11 and above competing in US Club Soccer governed competitions: Elite Clubs National League (ECNL), ECNL-Regional League, Club Development League (CDL) and Iowa Development League (IDL), all Sporting Iowa teams for the 2026-27 season will align with this new age group band of Aug 1st - July 31st. This allows all teams continued competition in these sanctioned leagues, as we continue to provide a competitive platform for players across all levels.
We at Sporting Iowa believe this will have a positive long-term impact for the club and its players. The key areas this will improve will be:
- Recruitment Opportunities - allow players pursuing collegiate opportunities to showcase themselves against fellow graduates, and align our College Advisory Program (CAP) to provide recruitment guidance/support collectively to all team members, rather than each individual.
- Minimizing “8th-grader” teams/players - this change will mean there minimizes the need for an 8th grade team because of the age group bands lessens the number of 8th grade players for a spring season. These teams/players occurred due to the disconnect between calendar year vs. school year age-group bands. This will help both the experience level for previously impacted players, as well as the logistics for the club in creating/managing these teams.
- Social/Team Connection - With teams/players now having more social alignment with school age/year, the ability for better social connection within teams will be improved, and minimizes situations of teams having unique/differing dynamics due to team make-up previously between two different years in school age to now be more aligned to one.
- Club Development Alignment - At Sporting Iowa, we view this change as an opportunity to strengthen our player pathway. Aligning by school year supports our holistic development approach - connecting social, academic, and athletic environments so that players can grow together on and off the field.
While the club does recognize the larger long-term benefits of this change, we realize that the short-term impact can be less positive, and creates a difficult dynamic in some scenarios with this change. We want every family to have clear, accessible information around this decision, as well as the opportunity for communication between parents/players and club staff, so we can ensure we provide a supportive and inclusive environment as we navigate this change.
To begin this process of information sharing, here are some general questions that we have been asked regarding this change to begin the communication process;
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who will this age group change impact?
This announced change will impact all Sporting Iowa age group teams (U11 and above). This will also include all players in our member clubs as well at West Des Moines Soccer Club and Johnston Urbandale Soccer Club at all ages, including Academy (U9-U10), Discovery (U4-U8), and recreational teams.
When does the age group change get implemented?
With the 2026-27 season using the new age group bands, the 2026 Sporting Iowa Tryouts will take place in these new age groups. This will mean registration for tryouts will also be adjusted to be in these new respective age groups.
What do the new age-groups look like for the 2026/27 season?
The 2026/27 season will be the first season with these new age-group bands - these age group bands for this season will be as follows:
All Sporting Iowa and Member club programs starting in Fall 2026 and beyond, will define age groups moving forward by these new dates/age-groups. This will be adjusted through registration for all club programs, and ensure players will be placed in the correct new age group.
What does this mean for unique opportunities for players (eg. play-ups)?
Currently the club is planning for this age group change applying to all players. However, we acknowledge that there are significant implications and circumstances from a developmental and competitive standpoint. Any conversations regarding unique opportunities for players will be on a case-by-case basis, and be in consultation with the club’s League Leader, and Director of Coaching to ensure we are aligning decisions with both the club and players development in mind.
What if my player was previously “playing up”?
Similar to above, any player who has been “playing up” in a higher age group will be reviewed case-by-case with our League Leaders and Director of Coaching to ensure that player development, competitive balance, and social comfort remain the top priorities.
Why not wait another year to make this change?
Due to the national governing bodies approving this change for the 2026/27 season, Sporting Iowa and the member clubs must align our teams to these new age group bands for the Fall 2026 season to ensure we remain in compliance and eligible to participate within ECNL, ECNL-RL, CDL and IDL competitions/structures.
Where should I direct my personal questions on the age group change to?
If you have personal/individual questions regarding your player regarding this age group change, the best place to direct your questions is to either a) your current team head coach, b) your current team’s league leader, or c) both individuals. Our club’s coaches have already been made aware and knowledgeable of the players who will be impacted by this age group change, however we do not always know the full picture of your player’s situation and impact of this age group change.
In summary, Sporting Iowa wants to continue to support its players & families, providing access to the highest competitive platforms, professional coaching staff and facilities, and be a club that represents Des Moines and Iowa in regional and national level opportunities. We as a club recognize that change can feel uncertain, but it’s part of progress. This shift ensures our players continue to grow in the right environments - socially, developmentally, and competitively. Thank you for trusting Sporting Iowa to guide this transition with clarity, care, and purpose. We thank all of our players & families for believing in the mission and vision of the club, and want to ensure that with the ever-changing landscape of youth soccer, including this decision, we provide the best level of support and guidance to families as we navigate this together as the Sporting Family.
Resources:
US Soccer Announcement:
https://usclubsoccer.org/age-group-cut-off-update-for-2026-27-season/
US Club Soccer Announcement:
https://usclubsoccer.org/us-club-soccer-us-youth-soccer-ayso-statement-on-forthcoming-u-s-soccer-decision-regarding-age-group-formation-by-school-year-vs-calendar-year/
American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) Announcement: https://ayso.org/age-group-revision-2026-2027/
History Blog/Article: https://www.soccerparenting.com/blog/school-year-age-grouping-us-soccer/
US Soccer - Birth Year Change (2017): https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2017/08/five-things-to-know-about-birth-year-registration