US Youth Soccer National League Unveils New Event Format
Some exciting changes are on the horizon for the US Youth Soccer National League in 2025-26. After six months of gathering feedback from clubs, teams, and college coaches, US Youth Soccer is rolling out a fresh competition format that’s designed to make things both more exciting and more practical.
What’s Changing?
The big news is that we’re moving to two main competition formats:
- Revamped Winter Events
- The brand-new National League Cup (The NL Cup)
Winter Events: A Simpler, More Focused Format
The Winter Events are getting a smart makeover. Here’s how it’ll work:
- Open to teams in 14U-19U (both boys and girls)
- 40 teams per age group, split between two events
- Teams play three matches over three days
- Group winners advance directly to USYS National Championships
- Second-place teams get a shot at The NL Cup
This streamlined format kicks off in November 2025 and January 2026.
Introducing The NL Cup: A New Postseason Showcase
The NL Cup is where things get really interesting. This new tournament was actually created because over 75% of club leaders asked for it (talk about listening to feedback!).
“We are very excited about this new competition desired by a majority of our clubs, which gives teams advancement opportunities into a true National League postseason.” – Marc Frankland, National League General Manager
Here’s the breakdown:
How Teams Qualify
- Win a National League Tier 1 Division? You’re in automatically
- Finish second in your Winter Event group? You’re in too
The Tournament Structure
- The NL Cup Playoffs (Late May/June 2026)
- Four events with eight boys’ and eight girls’ teams per age (U13-U19) group
- Three games over three days
- Top teams advance to Finals
- The NL Cup Finals
- Eight teams per age group
- Knockout format: quarterfinals → semifinals → finals
- Winner takes home The NL Cup title
What’s Next?
The new format kicks off in November 2025. If you’re leading a team or club and want more details, reach out to your USYS State Association. They’ll have all the specifics about age groups, qualification processes, and locations.
As Tom Condone, USYS Chief Soccer Officer, puts it: “These innovative formats will elevate the level of play while maintaining a clear pathway for advancement within the evolving landscape of youth soccer.”
Pretty exciting times ahead for youth soccer in the US, right? The whole system is getting more streamlined, more competitive, and frankly, more sensible.
Looking forward to seeing how teams adapt to and thrive in this new format!
