ECNL Regional League Announces New Postseason Plans for 2023-24 Season

On September 21, 2023, the ECNL announced a new structure for the 2023-24 season’s Boys and Girls Regional League postseason.

There will be four events leading up to the 2024 ECNL Regional League Finals. The ECNL Regional League Playoff Events will be held in four different regions of the country. Here are teh locations and dates of each event:

• ECNL Regional League South Playoffs will be held at Russell Creek Park in Plano, Texas, from June 5-9.
• ECNL Regional League East Playoffs will be held at Bryan Park Soccer Complex presented by Truist in Browns Summit, North Carolina, from June 12-16.
• ECNL Regional League Central Playoffs will be held at Worldwide Technology Soccer Park & Slyman Bros SLYSA Soccer Park in St. Louis, Missouri, from June 12-16.
• ECNL Regional League West Playoffs will be held at Silverlakes Sports Park in Norco, California, from June 12-16.

For the U14-U17 age groups, 80 teams from the boys and girls side will compete at each event looking to qualify for the ECNL Regional League Finals.

Each age group will consist of 16 teams divided into four groups of four teams each for the group stage. Every team will play three group stage games to determine the four group winners at each age group. The winners of each group will advance to the semifinals. The semifinal winners will advance to the ECNL Regional League Finals in Virginia sometime in July.

Additionally, for the U18/19 age group, 8 boys teams and 8 girls teams will compete at each event. Teams will be divided into two groups of four and play three group stage games to determine the two group winners. The group winners will then play in one final game to determine the Regional League Champion at each of the four events.

Lastly, the ECNL Regional League Finals will include eight teams at each age group, from U13-U17, and will take place in Richmond, Virginia, at Striker Park.

• The ECNL Girls Regional League Finals will be played July 11-14
• The ECNL Boys Regional League Finals will be played July 16-19

Qualifying teams will compete in an eight-team knockout to decide the ECNL Regional League Champions at each age group.

Each of the ECNL Regional League Playoff Events will create higher-visibility recruitment opportunities for local college programs, as they will feature top-performing teams from each region. This is especially true for the U16 and older brackets.

I think the redesigned postseason structure will offer a new look and a more streamlined process for teams to advance to the ECNL Regional League Finals.

About ECNL Regional Leagues

ECNL Regional Leagues are a subset of leagues that are part of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) and provide opportunities for youth soccer players to compete at a high level.

The ECNL Regional Leagues are divided into different regions, each with its own set of clubs and teams. They are designed to provide a pathway for players to move up to the ECNL National League, which is the highest level of competition within the ECNL.

The ECNL Regional Leagues will continue to provide opportunities for players to showcase their soccer skills and compete against very competitive teams and players.